Happy Birthday, America!

A few years ago, we received this homemade card from our son and daughter-in-law.  Both of their fathers were Air Force career men, so they remember the sacrifices that military families make.

I pray, as a nation, we never forget the men and women who have served and sacrificed for this imperfect, but still the best, country on the planet.  It's true that freedom isn't free.  Today, because of those who have served, we can:

1.  Grill and burn as many hot dogs as we want.

2.  Fight over the last corn-on-the-cob.

3.  Pellet each other with water balloons.

4.  Drink too much beer.

5.  Display the American flag on our property.

6.  Own property.

7.  Enjoy all kinds of red-white-and-blue Jello salads.

8.  Raise the water bill by running through the sprinkler all afternoon.

9.  Follow the town parade down the street.

10.  Write our name in the dark with sparklers.

11.  Spend too much money on firecrackers.

12.  Annoy our neighbors with firecrackers.

13.  Injure ourselves with firecrackers.

14.  Sing America, the Beautiful.  

15.  Spit watermelon seeds at each other.

16.  Vote.

17.  Argue over whom to vote for.

18.  Enjoy the DVD John Adams, the excellent (originally HBO) mini-series.

19.  Make a patriotic pinwheel out of a paper plate, a pencil, and a thumb tack.

20.  Remember that we are all created equal. 

Have a patriotic day!

Memorial Day - How We Can Honor the Fallen

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10 Things I Needed Quiet Time to Remember

It's one of those "I'm so grateful" days. Nothing spectacular has occurred, I didn't win the lottery or anything. I simply had some quiet time this morning, and I noticed the many blessings in my life.

Do we need quiet time to recognize all that we've been given?  Yes.

When life is frantic and I just run from thing to thing, my overall mode is "hurry up and finish this, there are ten more things I have to get to." That's a perfect recipe for becoming cranky and then resentful. When I can't really pay attention to the task I'm in, I'm certainly not going to appreciate what I'm doing and why it's important. Think of Road Runner's legs. Spinning and spinning, moving through everything instead of being fully present.

So, this morning, it was quiet and I read Jesus Calling (several days' worth, because I was behind.) And in the quiet, blessings bubbled up.

1. Today is our daughter's birthday. She's a blessing in so many ways, and also a feisty testament to life. As a toddler, she had a severe seizure that caused her to stop breathing. If not for one doctor, well...you can read about that HERE.

2.  Grandson James. This sweet child gives me the opportunity to just stop and hold a baby. If he's fussy, or feeding, or sleeping, he has my full attention. He puts life in perspective.

3. Our older son and his wife visited recently. They drove to Florida from Virginia to meet James. We took lots of family pictures (because we're rarely all together) and I got lots of hugs. I have to say, there is nothing a mom loves more than having all her youngin's together. All the pieces of her heart reconnect. And if the youngin's don't gripe about getting numerous family photos, that's icing on the cake. Thank you, youngin's!

4.  After four months of unemployment, our younger son has a job. This son is the father of James, and husband to our sweet DIL, so we all had anxious hearts about how this new little family would manage. But, our son is resilient and our DIL is supportive, so they are working it out. We're so proud of how they are growing through this challenge.

5.  After a head injury this week, the hubs is fine. At work, a piece of equipment hit him in the head. He needed 6 staples in his scalp, but has no other damage. He doesn't even want me talking about it, so don't mention it.

6.  Mom's treatment for lymphedema is working. Her legs looked like tree trunks, but after two weeks of special wrappings, she's on the mend. Once treatment is over, she'll have to wear compression stockings, which she's not looking forward to. Life at 95 is not as much fun as it used to be.

7.  Dad is getting new glasses. After sitting on/rolling on his wire frames a thousand times, they were shot. Pliers and duct tape didn't work anymore. He's getting titanium frames. Seems fitting for his titanium spirit. 

8. We're getting a new dishwasher. In comparison to loved ones and jobs, this is an insignificant thing. But once the current dishwasher starts depositing rust stains on the plates, it's time.

9.  My Visa bill is at 0 again. This only happens about twice a year, so I like to highlight it when it occurs.

10. I'm eating dark-chocolate malt balls for breakfast. I really have to stop this, because my inflammation numbers are up a little, and I know sugar is the culprit for me. I'm my own worst enemy. The good news is that in heaven, I won't have to deal with any more of this nonsense.

What blessings have you missed recently because life is too hectic? Make quiet time a priority (that's the only way to do it), and you will be reminded of how much God loves you.

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BOYS TO MEN

My two boys have birthdays every summer, about two weeks (and 9 years) apart. 

We were all together recently (which is rare) and took this picture. 

Our oldest, on the left, used to be bigger than our youngest, on the right.  And the hubs (in the middle) used to be bigger than both of them. James, the baby here, is in the 100 percentile in height for others his 4-month age. Everybody's growing. 

When did that happen? 

Our oldest son used to look like this. He was three when lava lamps were cool. 

Our younger son used to look like this. 

He wore vests and bow ties and Redskins caps on Easter. 

The older one is no longer blond. The younger one has not been seen in a bow tie since this picture.  Both boys loved baseball, Legos and macaroni and cheese. Those things are still true. 

Now that we have a grandson, I'm reminded of the days I changed diapers on and gave raspberries to my own sons. When I was home with my children, the hours seemed long at times, but looking back...they are but a wink of one eye.

Somewhere along the line...boys turn into men.  They work through challenges, try to figure out women, change jobs, move, try to figure out women, make mistakes, mostly figure out women, and settle in to the game of life.

They begin to resemble their father, their grandfathers, their uncles.  Not physically (although sometimes), but in action and habit and character.  

It's supposed to happen, of course, that they grow up and onward, but it kind of happens when you're not looking.  And then...one day...you just see it.  

With my sons, it was choosing marriage that added a new depth to their lives.  They both met women who sparked in them a willingness to be vulnerable, to sacrifice, and to commit.  These are honorable - and sometimes rare - traits in a man.  

It's heart-warming to see.   

My sons are not little boys anymore, but strong, hairy adults who give me great bear hugs, which I love, love, love.  My prayer for them is that they continue to grow in tender-heartedness, courage, and conviction.  

Because life will continue to throw them curve balls now and then.  

I want them to know we will always been in the bleachers rooting for them. 

Our Newest Valentine

This is what has my attention this weekend.

 

 

James was blessed with a full head of hair.

It's similar to the color of his Aunt Sara's hair.

James is three weeks old and almost 8 lbs. this Valentine's day weekend.

He wasn't due for nine more days, but he was eager to meet his family, so he poked his water sack and announced "I'm coming!" His parents had moved to a new home just hours earlier. They thought they'd have a month before James appeared, but I guess he didn't want to miss anything.

So, today we have a new Valentine to celebrate. He's sweeter than any box of chocolates.

In three weeks of being a Nana, here are some things I've learned.

1. Parents with thick, dark, abundantly curly hair can have a child with light, straight, silky hair. God loves to surprise us.

2. Things that seemed important before James arrived - like cooking and cleaning - are suddenly on the back burner.

3. Holding James makes me think of my parents (who are 95 an 92.) The age span and the contrast of new life to old - it's very philosophical.

4. Our son and daughter-in-law are naturals at caring for a newborn. I'm sure they have moments of being unsure, but they handle James with tender, unhurried confidence. It's a beautiful thing to witness.

5. Having a newborn in the NICU for a week allows the nurses to get Junior on a schedule. This has turned out to be very beneficial for James and his sleepy parents.

6.  I can't express how much I love and adore this little boy. It came immediately, like the rush of a waterfall. When I snuggle him close, the worries fade, and life is perfect. He is so tiny, yet brings big joy to my heart.

For Valentine's Day, my husband and I got each other the Willow Tree grandparents statues.

We are so grateful for the gift of James.

Baby James - a Month Early!

Hope everyone is having a good 2016!!!

Since Christmas, I've been wanting to spend some time blogging, but life has intervened. We've had a job loss, a move, a snow storm and THIS precious event...

Baby James arrived one month early!!!

By the hand of God, he was 6.15 lbs. upon arrival, so he was not in any danger, but he was wheeled into the NICU anyway, because, well...he was a month early! He spent five days there under a blue light with nurses getting him on a wonderful schedule, and his parents holding him whenever they could.

I WAS STUCK IN MARYLAND IN THE SNOW BLIZZARD!

I can smile about it now, but at the time...my heart was breaking because I so wanted to be here to see our first grandchild arrive. I figured traveling a month before James' due date to see my sister, I would be fine. James had other ideas. The best laid plans...

I met James the night I came home. We drove straight to the NICU from the airport, where I got to cry over this beautiful child with a full head of hair.  He was wrapped up like a burrito and as warm as a baked potato. I think he winked at me in our time together, but I'm not positive.

I looked at our son, who was now a father, through tears, and I cried as I embraced our daughter-in-law, who did a marvelous job of handling labor (she pushed for only about ten minutes before the boy was free - who gets that?!?)

I don't even have words to describe our love for this child, who is now home. Every grandparent knows the feeling. I'm now in the 'I'm nutty about my grandchild' club, and yes, you'll have to tolerate photos now and then of this sweet boy.

A side note - I had a great visit with my sister, even once the snow began. I've not seen snow like this in 25 years. It was beautiful, I must say. And we had fun digging out.

TWO CARS BURIED

MY FIRST MESSAGE TO JAMES FROM MARYLAND

It was an emotional week. The day James Daniel was born in sunny Florida, even the skies in Maryland celebrated, raining down two feet of angel flakes.

That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

My 2015 Grateful List - from the Handy Man to Baby James

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. It's like Christmas, without all the crazy shopping and overspending. And Easter, without all the candy. It's a day that refocuses my mind - for at least a week - on what's truly important. We need more holidays like this.

I want to share with you how, despite some heartaches this year, I am still mindful of how blessed I am. These blessings are in no particular order.

1.  I still love our 25-year-old house, despite the fact that the kitchen is about the size of a walk-in closet. This dear home has raised three kids to adulthood, weathered copious Florida hurricanes with no flooding, housed many, many friends and family, and tolerated one lovable dog who liked to drag dead squirrels inside.

2.  I'm so grateful for dark chocolate-covered malt balls.

I don't know why it took someone so long to create these, but they should get the Nobel peace prize.

3. I'm grateful I have a handy husband. Between the two of us, we can manage most home repairs and updates. Recently, we re-framed an old, industrial-grade bathroom mirror.

(If you want to do this, here are detailed instructions: GETTING FRAMED)

4.  I'm beyond grateful that my handy husband is finally recovering from vertigo - a condition that made him so sick a week ago, he was sleeping on the bathroom floor. It's an odd inner ear imbalance problem that is completely debilitating, and it often springs up for no apparent reason. Whoever figures this one out really deserves a prize.

5.  I'm grateful the little fender bender I had two weeks ago hurt no one and no one else's car either. Only my own, which is fair, I suppose. Luckily, I have first-accident forgiveness, so I have only my deductible to pay, and I can move on with my life. Thank you, USAA.

6.  I'm grateful for a week in a condo on the beach last month to celebrate our 40th anniversary. This was a gift from many family members and we have great photos to remind us of this time away from our own lives. Here's one of my favorites.

Thank you, son Jeremy, for taking so many lovely photographs.

7.  I'm grateful for my nutritionist, who by muscle testing keeps me on track with eating well, despite my occasional cheating with chocolate-covered malt balls.

8.  I thank God that Dad is finally recovering from his fall six weeks ago. He had several set-backs, and we wondered if he would be able to return to his ALF, where Mom is. Looks like that will likely happen now.

9. I'm grateful that my ebook about our family Christmas project (HERE: THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS ADVENTURE) is finished and was published in July. I felt called to write it and share it with the world. What happens with it now is up to God.

10.  I'm grateful for our local thrift shop. It reminds me that "stuff" is recycle-able and share-able and trade-able. I love taking a bag of things there just about monthly, and I love finding an item there I need. We could all save so much and probably help the planet too, if we would just rotate our stuff.

11.  I'm grateful for good pie crust. I've never been able to master it, so I really love and admire a baker who can do it. JOAN'S PERFECT PIES here in Melbourne has the best pies I've ever tasted. Joan won second place in a national pie championship in 2014, so you know there's only one baker better than her in the nation. If you're ever in Melbourne, FL...check out this pie shop.

12.  I'm grateful for Champion brand sport bras. For various reasons. Enough said.

13.  I'm grateful, delighted really, for our first grandchild James, who is six months, pre-born. Here he is with his folks, our son and his wife.

Isn't he the most beautiful pre-born you've ever seen? He looks great in plaid, don't you think? Clearly, I'm going to be one of those nutty grandmas, but I'm OK with that. James and I will be buds.

14.  I'm mostly grateful that I know there is a sovereign God who loves me and has a plan for my life. Without that, nothing else makes any sense.

40 Years! Holey Moley.

Today is our 40th anniversary. I remember when my parents celebrated their 40th, and they were old. Now that we're here, it looks different. Funny how that happens.

For our 40th, our kids, siblings, and parents put together for us a week in Nags Head, NC in a beautiful condo on the Sound with nothing to do but sleep when we want to, eat things like custom-made donuts (divine) and crab cakes (love), shop in quaint haberdasheries, and soak up as many beach breezes and heavenly sunsets as we want. We feel quite spoiled and lazy. And it's wonderful.

Thank you, sweet family. We never know how badly we need to get away until we do.  We think we're so important at our jobs and in our responsibilities, but when we get out of the picture...surprise! Life goes on.  It's funny how that happens too.

This morning, I bought a precious charm for my Pandora-like bracelet. Take a look and see if you can determine its significance.

 In case you're baffled, here's another hint.

This is our daughter-in-law (with gorgeous curly hair) and a little something she's been growing for about five months now. I love this picture. With the Redskins game on in the other room, I'm imagining our son and his son plopped in front of the tube in a year or so, rooting for the burgundy and gold.

Here we are with our older son and his wife (with gorgeous red hair), who drove five hours to spend some time with us. Woo-hoo! We don't see them often enough, and it was heart-warming to get some good hugs from these two.  I love this picture.

It's 5 p.m. and I'm in my PJs already, because it's my anniversary and apparently, I'm old. My kids probably think so. So, here I am writing in a swivel rocker with a zebra pattern, tummy full of custom-made donuts and dark chocolate malted milk balls from Fresh Market. I'll pay the piper when I get home.

For now, I'm grateful for a generous family and 40 years of a marriage to a hard working, Air Force guy who always supported every crazy idea I ever had.

Except baked bean sandwiches. He wasn't a big fan of those.

Reflections On a Family Renuion

It seems like I've been off the planet for a while, but I really just went to Denver. I had spotty Internet service in the mountains, so I felt somewhat disconnected. After the initial withdrawal symptoms, it was nice. I played corn hole and watched no television. I hung some clothes on the line and, I felt like Laura Ingalls' neighbor. Half pint and I would have been friends.

I was attending a family reunion that included lots of twists and turns and some unexpected blessings. Over the course of my trip, I had eight plane flights with nary a delay, nor unpleasant seat companions. How often does that happen?

Once the relatives arrived from California and Florida and the Midwest, we had great food, lots of laughs and a few tears as we remembered the death of a loved one eight months ago. I saw cousins I don't see very often. We all decided we're turning into our parents, in appearance and ailments.

Our reunion was hosted by a relative by marriage who had not met any of the regular attendees. She opened her home and refrigerator to strangers, and by the time we all left, she was their favorite person in the room. Only God can open hearts in such a way. We are a blessed family.

As we overate and shared memories, it struck me that people become intimate by sharing their struggles. We can bond over joyous occasions, but true intimacy (into-me-see) comes from sharing a disappointment, a loss, a heartache. Because that's when we realize we are not alone. Every heart has been broken by one thing or another. No one escapes this life unscathed.

No matter what facades we erect, we all have fleshy, vulnerable hearts that long for security and affirmation and peace. It's how we're wired. When people gather in groups, there can be much superficial chit-chat, so I appreciate when people are genuine and open to connecting with another human soul. We had a lot of that at the reunion, aging cousins who shared our worries over declining parents and our hopes for grown kids still finding their way.

Colorado is a long way from Florida - a day's travel and enough of a time difference to mess with my sleep cycle for a few days. But at the Kemp reunions, it seems like we all live just down the street from one another.

Here's a picture from forty years ago...and one we recreated last week with the same cousins. 

Cool, huh?

This group is from my mom's side of the family - my mom who no longer attends the reunions because she's 95 and travel is not an option for her anymore. We called her and passed the phone around, so she could talk with everyone, although she doesn't catch much over the phone. When my mom and her two remaining siblings are gone, this group of cousins will become the elderly group in the family. We still feel like the kids, so this is weird to think about.

I don't know where the time went. But, it sure went fast.

WHO'S ON FIRST

Today is our firstborn's birthday.  

Every new baby ignites in his parents an enormous passion, and a fierce sense of protection and provision.  It just wells up, usually accompanied by tears. 

The first time that happens, however....your defenses are stripped away, your heart is laid bare, and you realize, maybe for the first time, what unconditional love is.

You realize how vulnerable you now are.  You have just created something you will protect more than yourself.

In the summer of '77, we became parents for the first time.  Our tiny, flesh-of-our-flesh, often smelly newborn was completely ours to snuggle and nurture and feed and clean and teach and love.    

It was overwhelming and frightening and wonderful.

We realized early on, however, that we were completely inadequate parents.  We didn't actually know anything.

We worried that we'd drop this precious bundle, or not hear him if he was suffocating against the mattress.

We worried that, as a toddler, he'd run into the street, or trip over a brick and knock his new teeth out, or find a dead worm and eat it.

The worries only got bigger: the copious germs at school, predators offering our innocent boy a candy bar, crummy friends who would lure him into stupid behavior, and, worst of all...GIRLS.

Despite the worries, our firstborn could not have been more adored.  As the first grandchild on my side of the family, we were "over the moon" with this youngster.

He was born one year after my twenty-three year old brother unexpectedly passed away.  This fresh, new life was a soothing balm to my grieving parents. 

Our firstborn was a smart, serious child who loved Legos, transformers, and McGyver.  (To this day, we all believe duct tape and a pocket knife should fix anything.)

When the soccer coach broke our son's seven-year old tibia with a powerful, but misplaced kick, I tearfully learned that I could not protect my boy from the world.  This is a heart-wrenching moment for a mom.  

That same year, this son won the Fire Prevention Week art contest for the second grade.  I had tears in my eyes again.  This tough little guy who weathered a clunky leg cast and crutches for six weeks was artistic and creative, and pretty nonchalant about it too.   He's still not one to blow his own horn.

But, his mom will.  Here's the second grade winner... 

...and some of his later work, a portrait of all the grandchildren with G.G., their great-grandmother.

Don't miss the tiniest little sprout on G.G's lap.   This picture is so precious, my heart aches. 

As the oldest child, our son was a good little helper, a job most firstborns tire of over time.  God bless 'em.  The burden of being first. 

He once referred to himself as the "experimental child," which is, unfortunately, true.   The first offspring has to weather the learning curve of Mom and Dad.   I can only pray that our insane love for this child counter-balanced our inexperience. 

Our son became self-reliant early on, and moved to Arizona with only what he could fit in his pick-up.  He has an adventurous spirit that enables him to follow his heart.  Once on his own, he never asked us for anything.

He's a whip-smart pharmacy technician, a talented musician, and an avid baseball fan.  He also does a very good Jim Carrey impersonation. 

He's still creative.  A few years ago, he proposed to his girlfriend on opening day at Fenway Park.  Then, he designed their wedding invitation, incorporating a baseball theme. 

I believe any children will have reddish hair. 

Today, we thank God for our firstborn.  The child that made us a family.

Happy, blessed birthday, beloved son.

All our love...

Mom and Dad

8 Rules for a Lifetime Marriage

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X-tra Special Sock

A while ago, I spent the weekend with my daughter.  We watched four movies, made cookies, ate crab roll-ups, and laughed a lot.  She also worked on a little crochet quilt for a friend.

As she was rooting through her yarn, she tossed me this, and said, "Oh, here's a sock I made for you."

Well, I have to admit, I'd never seen a sock like this before.  I slipped it on.

Thought maybe I had it on wrong, so I turned it around.

Nope.  I didn't know what the safety pin was for, but the sock was warm and cozy.

"Is there another one?" I asked.  Socks usually came in pairs.

"No," my girl said.  "I used too big a yarn and the thing just got too long, so I stopped.  It's more like a leg warmer, without toes.  I didn't make another one, because I clearly don't know what I'm doing."

Well, then I got the giggles.  I love the yarn and the softness, and if I just wear it low and fold down the long flap thing, it's really quite comfortable.

Except for the safety pin.  And the no-toes thing.  "If you just finish off some toes, I can wear another bootie with it," I said.  "I really like it."

"I'm not doing anything else with it," she said.  "It didn't turn out right, and it's goofy.  It looks like a cast."

I turned it around, trying to position the thing so my foot was covered.  I really do like it, and I love that she made it. 

Hmmm....I could not see how to get the foot covered and have it stay on.  "If I sew up this flap, it will be snug and stay up.  If it just had some toes..."

"You can add some toes, if you want," my girl suggested.

"I don't know how to crochet," I replied.

"I guess I don't either," she said.  "I can make squares and put 'em in a line.  I can make blankets, but not socks."

I came home with my toeless, leg warmer, cast-size sock and used the safety pin (which I now realize is crucial) to pin the rolled-down flap over the exposed toes.

Paired with another knitted bootie I have, it works.  Kind of.

There's still a bit of toe poking out at the tip, but you can't have everything.