Looking Forward

Since my last post I have kept very busy. In February we had so much snowfall that by the time we could venture out to restock food supplies we were also preparing for another storm. I loved the beauty of the pristine falling snow but since I am not a cold weather gal it was from the inside looking out. Everyone was home and we had a great time watching DVDs together. However, it does increase the work load, such as recleaning the entry and downstairs hall floors daily. I love the hardwood floors but the snow made a mess of them. Lots of food fests while watching the movies created more cooking and cleaning up. However, I was able to work on the photo albums that I had fallen way behind on since our move.

Once school got back in session I was back to a full round of IEPs and meetings. Schools begin preparing the next years IEPs in February and March. With David in high school this increases the amount of information and goals that must be met and reviewed.

I really appreciate the school system here and the head of special education. In spite of budget constraints and concerns they have continued the services that David needs. David came home all excited since the school rings were being displayed. He has already picked his out. We went over the packet of ordering information to decide on the ring that would suit him best. I was surprised since I was in high school we didn't oreder our class rings until we were sophmores. It was only after all the paperwork was gone over that I asked David when the order had to be placed. His answer was "I can't order until next year." It had never occured to him that I would not know he couldn't get it yet.

We knew the day was approaching when Rich would have to go into the office more often. After working from home four days a week for the past couple of years we had fallen into a rhythm that worked well for us. In the middle of February he was told everyone in his department would need to be in the office every day. To our knowledge there had been no abuses of the work-from-home privilege, but the new boss claimed that the job could not be done outside the office. With only one car this would create some issues.

We are fortunate that there is a little transit bus that picks up around the corner from our house and it goes to the shopping center where our bank is located, the grocery store and even the bottom of the hill at David's school. It only costs 50 cents each time you get on, so its not expensive. The problem is that it stops only every hour at each stop. It also was extremely cold in February and you couldn't get a whole lot of groceries. But I am very thankful for it. Doing the majority of the grocery shopping on Saturday was not ideal since it was more crowded and took time from the family. We also found Rich driving into the city would cost us quite a bit, the parking alone cost $155.00 a month. So we did some research and found a great solution. There is a commuter bus that picks up within two miles of our home and drops off one block from Rich's office. The cost would be considerably less than what it would cost for him to drive in each day.

Grandma and Mom

The downside is that I now get up at 4:00am and deliver him to the lot by 4:25am and David and I must pick him up in the evening. David needs to get up at 6:30, so I really don't sleep after the drop off. Rich calls us when they are about 10 minutes out so we aren't waiting at the lot for the bus to come in. The downside is that it is harder to work around the meals. I want the food to be hot and fresh, but am never sure what traffic will hold and what time we will eat. Also Rich had been supervising David in the past so I could cook in peace, so David must now either help with the dinner preparations or sit at the table reading. After making some adjustments in what I make and when I pop it in the oven I think I have worked out the kinks.

Last month saw the visit of my mom and my 89-year-old grandmother. My aunt and uncle had decided to move to South Carolina from New York and would need a few weeks to complete the process of moving and getting my grandmother placed in the nursing home near them. So my mother was caring for my grandma during this time. It was wonderful to see her and see that after living in the northeast all her life she was looking forward to moving to the south.

David and Tyler

We also had one of our college friends and his roommate stay with us. They wanted to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D IMAX and we were delighted to open our home to them. The only tickets we could get were at 11:45pm opening night. It was a fun time and an extremely long day—up at 4:00 that morning and up until 3:00 the next morning when we finally rolled into bed. Rich and I are so used to being up early we still woke up at 6:30 in the morning.

When we moved late last summer we stored quite a bit on the back screened-in porch. By the time winter weather came I had unpacked all the inside boxes and more than half of the boxes stored on the porch. However, when the low temperatures came I abandoned the unpacking. Last week the weather turned warm and I have begun my unpacking again. Last weekend I was able to move the remaining boxes enough for us to enjoy eating our meals on the table out there. It has been wonderful and we have eaten most meals this last week out there. I am even setting up plastic containers to hold disposible plates and utensils along with condiments to keep them handy for our meals. Once the boxes are removed I hope to set up a wicker loveseat, table and chair for a place of retreat.

Rich hiding an Easter egg in a tree

Last weekend we also helped our new church with an Easter Egg Hunt they hold each year for the community. It is run by Christine, who did a fantastic job. She plans activities along with the egg hunt. There were prizes and even a meal at the end of the event. Following the event we walked around the town and took pictures. We even stopped on the way home for soft serve ice cream, which we ate before going home to barbecue steaks, hot dogs and tilapia. The perfect end to a perfect day!

Daffodils near our church

ROTC Commissioning

One of our regular Wednesday night guests asked us to photograph the ROTC commissioning service at his college. Rich and I were honored to take part in this exciting event. We arrived before 9:00 am and didn't leave until 2:00 pm. We arrived early in order to watch the practice and know where we would need to be during the service.

I have to say that interacting with these fine young men and women gives me hope for our future. We sometimes get so use to seeing young men with their pants pulled down to their knees and being answered by "yeah" instead of "yes." But the young men and women at this event were so polite and respectful it shows that there is hope that manners are indeed not dead. They have been trained and drilled with the characteristics that will serve them and our nation well.

So congratulations to all the wonderful men and women that have been commissioned and are ready to serve our nation. I pray that God will watch over and protect them.

For Everything There Is A Season

Today the verses that my heart keeps returning to are Ecclesiastes 3:1&2.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted.

Early this afternoon we received the news that our friends Joe and Abigail were the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl they have named Isabella. Joe's sister is so proud to be an auntie. This was the expected due date so she didn't disappoint those of us who couldn't wait to meet her.

As we began making plans to visit the happy family I received a phone call less than an hour later from my mother that my grandfather had passed away late last night.

This was exactly two weeks after her original call that they didn't expect him to make it through the day. He began to rally and they thought he would pull through with talk of even going to a nursing home. Over the last two weeks this cycle repeated several times.

My grandfather was always the strong silent type and he will be greatly missed. He also instilled within me a strong desire to learn about my Dutch heritage. Over 30 years ago he gave me a small silver charm that was shaped like a wooden shoe. When he purchased this token he told me he wanted me to have it so that when he was gone I could look at it and remember him. I still have this beautiful reminder of him and of our heritage, but I also am reminded of him as I sit at our kitchen table and look on the picture that always hung over their kitchen table. I also have the little cast iron stove above my sink that I played with at their house as a reminder. Grandpa's lack of a stable family growing up made him really treasure the family that he and Grandma had.

I was really glad to be able to rejoice with Joe and Abigail later at the hospital. Both sets of Baby Isabella's grandparents arrived from other states following the birth in order to meet and help the beautiful little princess.

This new little life has healed my heart just a little.

A Virginia Christmas

Everyone who know me knows I love Christmas. Sunday we traveled back in time with our friends Joe and Abigail. A local historic site, Point of Honor, held it's 26th Annual Christmas Open House. Point of Honor is a home that is being restored to the period of 1815 to 1830 when Dr. George Cabell and his wife owned the home.

The museum staff and the volunteers of the Lynchburg Museum System did a wonderful job. They were so wonderful and informative to all the visitors. The carriage house was used as a hospitality house with warm cider, hot cholocate, and cookies served to the guests while a harpist played. There was a fire pit outside the carriage house that was so inviting.

The house was open and decorated as it would have been for a Twelfth Night Ball supper. The decorations were mostly greenery from the local woods which would have been typical in the Federal period. The table in the diningroom held food dishes that were made following recipes dating back into the late 18th century. In the parlor was a trio that played (harp, flute, hammered dulcimer, guitar) and sang while we sat in chairs arranged around the room.

After leaving the house we headed to the cook house. Upon entering it there was a conversation going on about slavery. The visitor was really into the slavery issue and the abuses of the system. He was questioning the director of the Museum. After the visitors group left and we were able to enter, David enjoyed hearing about the food that the workers had made for the day. He even asked who would get to eat the food since the event was almost over. One of the worker jokingly asked if he wanted to eat the stuffed fish with the heads still intact. They were quite shocked when my thirteen-year-old jumped at the chance because he loves fish. They then explained that due to health codes and regulations they were not allowed to offer the guests the food. One of the workers at the cookhouse works for the museum system to help education systems access the museum. She was wonderful while talking to David and has offered her help with any research he may need for school. She gave me her card and said she would be glad to speak to his history class.

We headed over to the carriage house and got more cider, hot chocolate and cookies. Poor Abigail is just over a week from her due date but she was a real trooper. I am so glad that we have friends that share our love of history and exploring different time periods.

A Movie and Pizzas

Wednesday night our friend Abigail had to work, so her husband Joe came over for dinner. We also invited a mutual friend, Ryan, a college student over. So when we found out that Abigail would have to work again Friday night we arranged for the guys to come to come over Friday night for pizza and a sci-fi movie night. I don't like sci-fi, so I figured I would crawl into the bed with a good book after the pizza.

But, Abigail called yesterday morning asking for our pizza crust recipe, since she was going to make pizza for dinner. Her schedule had changed and she wouldn't be working. Joe had failed to mention he was coming over to our house. So of course, we left the option open for them to come for pizza and they could leave after dinner or stay, or we would understand if they wanted to opt out all together. They decided to come and they stayed for pizza and the movie "Dead Again."

As you can see, our friend Ryan is a cut-up and had lots of fun hamming it up for the camera. His housing situation is a little shakey right now, so we have offered for him to stay here. Since we will be gone for a week next month he would have full run of the house, while giving us the peace of mind that our house is well looked after. Ryan is a very mature and stable student, so we are comfortable with him here. Abigail has offered to look in on Roger and feed him during our absence. So as NASA-loving David would say "All systems are a go."