WEL GLRY 2

A few blogs ago, I told you the story of this license plate.  Well, Saturday, Deke and I were working in the yard doing really hard, grunge work.  I was exhausted and had just put away the last of the garden utensils when I turned around to punch the outside remote button to close the garage door.  There, right in front of me, I saw this license plate on the van that I normally drive.  My husband had ordered the plate and installed it on the van 3 days earlier, and I had just now noticed.  It brought tears to my eyes to think that he would be that sensitive to the things that are so deep and meaningful in my life. I turned to see him smiling at me and well... you can imagine the scene.  

He has done this sort of thing countess times in our marriage. He thinks of things to make life fun and meaningful.  He surprises me , woos me, dates me, prods me, helps me, encourages me, corrects me (although I'm rarely wrong), loves me unconditionally and in general, makes my life rich. He is the husband that looks exactly like the Lord. I won't worship him or bow down to him or ask him to be my savior, but I will accept the gift that my Savior and Creator has given me and I am grateful. And forever I will say

WEL GLRY! 

Outerbanks

For a glorious week, Deke and I were with Erin and Lori and the 8 grandchildren at the Outerbanks in NC. The dads were unable to join us because of work.  We were on the island near the town of Corolla.  We spent our days swimming in the ocean, bicycling, playing cards and games, shopping, sightseeing and enjoying being together.  

  

All of the precious grands with Deke and me

John Mark in a shopping basket

Megan and JM playing

Sightseeing at Kitty Hawk

Sightseeing at Appomattox

Our rental home

G-Pa with grands on the beach at dusk

Lori, Erin, Deke and all of the grands

Grandma Mary is 91

Grandma Mary celebrates her 91st birthday Tuesday but the family got together last evening to kick off the occasion. We ate Arni's pizza with salad and tomato soup cake. Couldn't ask for anything better than that!

Grandma Mary with 3 of her sons: Max, Keith (Deke) and Ken

Take a big breath...

Whew! Enough smoke to start the detectors!

My Baby Fix

Mark, Lori and the babies came to see us this past week.  What a wonderful surprise to learn that they were coming in the dead of winter for a short visit.  They came on Monday and left on Friday but we packed as much hugs, love and kisses as possible into those short, few days. Deke and Mark even got in some paragliding.  It was a wonderful time to play with Clay-Bo and hold little JM.

Little JM

Smiling JM

Absolutely adorable pic of C and JM

C-Bear ready to play in the snow

Playing with Daddy

Making the most of the snow day

Can it get any more precious?

Nana and JM

Wearing Emily's Rothschild coat and hat

Final picture of the family before they left to go home

Schussing

Wednesday afternoon we left Indiana for Wisconsin to go snow skiing. Amber and Austin (our youth pastor and his wife) were able to get away too, so we headed north on a beautiful sunny day. Fortunately, the next day was equally as beautiful as we arrived at Granite Peak near Wausau to ski.

We feared the skiing would be rinky-dink and boring, but were we amazed! The area was beautiful and the slopes couldn't have been better. Hardly a soul was there, as it was a mid-week school day, but by the time we finished up our ski day at 4:00, the crowds started arriving. Never had to wait for a lift and the skies were deep blue with virtually no wind or extreme cold.

 Some of the runs were challenging for us intermediate skiers, but mostly we just stayed on the blues and enjoyed the scenery. Deke and I thought we would be tired and winded, due to our age and the fact that we aren't exactly in condition. But we amazed ourselves with our stamina. Even when Amber and I stopped skiing, Deke and Austin went on schussing down the slopes another hour or so. Deke acted like a 20 year old!

Needless to say, we had a great time with these two 20-somethings, and we are looking forward to future skiing with our kids and their families. In fact, we're in the planning stages for that right now.

Amber and I preparing for the slopes

Schussing down the hill (l-r) Cindy, Deke, Amber)

Pausing to rest

On the lift

Cuties

Goofing around

Dancing for G-pa

WEL GLRY

 

Mama Jo has gone home to glory!

There were many people who came to say their good-byes, sent cards, letters, and loving words of comfort. My Sunday school class absolutely showered us with food stuff, so much so, that two refrigerators and 3 freezers could hardly contain the meals.


Mom's service was especially beautiful and poignant. We three kids and most of the grandchildren spoke about her, and Deke conducted the service. Five of the grandchildren sang a song that was especially meaningful to Mom. I think it perfectly honored Mom and glorified the Lord. She's home, her memory is restored and her new body is once again in motion. In fact, Natalie mentioned that she's probably on duty polishing the pearly gates!


Mom knew the Lord and was ready to go home. She suffered for 4 years after an encephalitis attack that left damaged the part of her brain that controls memory. Much like Alzheimer's but this happened within 4 hours. Over the four years, Mom turned into this docile, agreeable, lovely, happy, contented creature who drew people with her love. Had a perpetual smile on her face. Her constant mantra: "Have I told you today that I love you?"


We will miss her but she's home and I'm happy for her. As Deke and I were driving onto the OH interstate trying to get home the morning after learning she had died, the first car to pass us had the license plate "WEL GLRY." It was a note from the Lord to me saying, "Hey, Mama Jo and I are here, and have We told you today that We love you?"

WELL GLORY!!!