Snapshots, memories and a final good-bye

The camera zooms over to Kory’s face. He is dancing with such intensity at the wedding reception. In the background, I hear his Uncle Dennis encouraging him, “Go Kory, Go Kory, Go Kory.”  Then, the video camera zooms to focus on other guests at the reception. The room is filled with music, laughter, and love. Kory is about seven years old.

Living in different cities, Kory was the nephew we saw during visits to Ohio, Illinois and Missouri.  We sat together at picnic tables, endured hot afternoons at parks and listened to loud music.  We enjoyed food grilled by his dad. We laughed over card games. I was the aunt with the camera.

Kory grew up so fast. In a blink of an eye,  his school years were over, then, he moved to D.C.  He got sick. For a time, he recovered.

Kory saw God answer the prayers of his grandmother.  We prayed with him and for him. At our last visit, we saw him resting. We prayed to God, thanking Him for His, mercy, faithfulness, goodness, love…asking for forgiveness of sin… strength… and comfort. Your grandmother, parents, brothers, uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends … we will miss you.

Kory

Sunrise July 1980

 Sunset July 30, 2012

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good

His love is eternal

Give thanks to the God of gods

His love is eternal"

Psalm 136  Verses 1 - 2(Holman Christian Standard Bible)

Christmas in July

A display tree from Two Chicks and Company
This  tree is from earlier this year.
Now, the entire store
is filled with sale tables. 

Do you enjoy bargains? I do! I have a bag of goodies from Two Chicks and Co. Some businesses have Christmas in July sales as a way  to attract customers.  One locally owned business has different strategy. What is it?  The Annual Barnyard Sale   ~ of Two Chicks and Company.  Why shop now? You will enjoy special discounts.
In addition, they are closed on Sundays.

I don't get it twisted, Christmas is not about gifts. This is an opportunity to save money and shop for family, friends and loved ones.  If you don't live in Lexington or Middletown, Kentucky, you may shop on line here: Two Chicks and Company. You will miss the discounts when you shop on line.

Pet of the week

This week’s pet is Misha. "She is seven years old.  She is a mixed breed, possibly a cross between a Corgi and a Shetland sheepdog. My daughter adopted her from a humane society in Auburn, Alabama. Her favorite thing to do is have someone rub her hair behind her ears. If you stop rubbing, she will look at you or paw at you to keep rubbing. She is very shy, but she barks the most if she sees a car drive by in front of our house. Misha is one of the sweetest dogs you will ever meet. "Koko
Koko is the owner of Misha.  Koko is a gracious hostess, loving wife, kind mother and grandmother. I am grateful to call her friend. 
  

CRAVE

Inside CRAVE

I am struggling. For the next 30 days, I am giving up desserts, candy bars, cookies, cake, gum, mints, ice cream, custard...I am praying...In addition, I am giving NO place to temptation. I don't have sweets in the house.  Tonight's dessert blueberries and peaches. 

CRAVE... really Cravings...this is what I am experiencing.
This is one of the restaurants we visited last week in Omaha.
Check out this blog post about Gimme, Gimme, Gimme...cravings.
Thirty Girl ..She is my baby girl. Baby Love!

Live life to the fullest

"Your time on earth is limited.
No matter how much this idea makes you squirm, it's a fact. No matter who you are, how young or old, what measure of success you've attained, or where you live, mortality remains the great equalizer. With each tick of the clock, a movement of you life is behind you. Even as you read the paragraph, seconds passed that you can never regain. Your days are numbered and each one that passes is gone forever." Kerry and Chris Shook.

The above paragraph is a from the book, "One Month To Live : "Thirty Days to a No Regret Life by Kerry and Chris Shook. This morning I began this journey. I am suppose to tell one person that I have begun this study. Then, I am to ask them to circle on the calendar the date for one month from today and to ask me how my life has changed.

This is the challenge at the beginning of the book, " I commit with God's strength to live the next thirty day as if they are my last so I can experience life to the full."

How will my life change? Will I pray more? Will I speak the truth in love... even when it is uncomfortable?  I am look forward to how God will continue to transform my life.

" The measure of a life, after all,

is not its duration

but its donation."

Corrie Ten Boom 

This afternoon in Lexington

Living in Community

Studying in a small group can create a community.  Relationships and friendships deepen when we are authentic and trust others with the difficult issues of our lives. As our relationship grows in God, we feel safe to be transparent and honest. In this study of James, I appreciate and love God even more… So many lessons, faith without works is dead, obedience, wisdom, justice, mercy, faith, humility, joy…

Sharing this journey with these amazing women has made the journey so rich.

James ~ Mercy Triumphs ~

Pets of the Week!

Omaha kittens tell their story. Special thanks to Daphne for taking their pictures.

Hi. I'm Carol Ina.

Hi. I'm Nancy Pants.

Carol and Nancy in unison: We're sisters! 

Carol: We do everything together!

Nancy: We play a lot...we have to! We're kittens!

Carol: We sleep a lot, too.

Nancy: This is our favorite toy. Mom made it for us out of bamboo, string and a feather. It's super cool. Just when we think we caught it, there it goes again! It's seriously awesome. I love it. I really love it. Hey, wait-a-minute. There's a housefly! We're gonna go catch it.  

.....

Carol: K guys, sorry for the interruption. We're back. 

Nancy: Do I have fly wing in my teeth?

Carol: Our parents are artists so there is lots of art in our house. We climb on it.

Nancy: This is our dad! 

Carol: He always holds us like this.

Nancy: This is our mom. We snuggle a lot.

Nancy: She likes us.

Carol: Mom works at home, upstairs. We go to work with her.

Nancy: We help her out a lot.

Carol: Her work is pretty easy to do. Sometimes we can even do it with our eyes shut.

Carol: We both really like it when friends come over to play. You should visit sometime! We'll be waiting for you.

- - - - 
Daphne Eck  

Family Visits

I love family visits. We talk, exercise, laugh, sleep,  plan, laugh, and share meals.

Art Therapy

Art therapy is wonderful. Thousands of miles away, I love to see children who are creating beautiful art.  I encourage you to take a minute and visit this blog. Josh and Julie

Union Pacific Railroad

The  Joslyn Art Museum's exhibit,  The Great West Illustrated: Celebrating 150 Years of the Union Pacific Railroad is on display until September 16, 2012.  In brief, here is a bit of  promotional information concerning the exhibit, "In 1868 photographer Andrew J. Russell ( 1830 - 1902) traveled west to document construction of the transcontinental railroad from Omaha, Nebraska to Promontory Summit, Utah. The results of this partnership were published the following year in an album, The Great West Illustrated, which is recognized as one of the most important projects of the nineteenth century. "

Many of the images in this series  have never been published. This afternoon, I was able to tour the exhibit. Photography in the exhibit was not allowed.

In the Museum's Cafe

Wild, Wild, West

We are traveling west from our home. We are on our way to visit friends and family. Our journey takes us through the city of St. Louis. With temperatures over 100, we might describe the weather as the hot, hot west. 
In spite of such brutal temperatures, one encouraging sight today, strangers helping a man with a stalled car in the middle of an intersection. 

St. Louis has been described as the "Gateway to the West"

 If you click on the picture, you may see the brown banks of the Mississippi River. Currently, there are nearly 700 barges not able to carry their cargo because of the river's water level.  Last year, I traveled this same route. What a difference a year makes... then, we were experiencing a records floods.  City and county governments are encouraging citizens to conserve energy.  St. Louis temperatures may reach 108 by this Friday.  

Wild Eggs

What restaurant has an Eggsecutive Chef? Wild Eggs of course.  Traveling this summer? If your vacation plans take you near Louisville, Kentucky, I suggest you plan a breakfast at this restaurant. Take a peak at their menu Wild Eggs.

This morning's Mushroom and cheese omelet.

Pet of the week

Ruby…

July’s birthstone is the ruby.  So it is fitting that Ruby is the pet of the week.  She is an adorable Chorkie. A Chorkie is a cross breed between a Chihuahua and a Yorkshire Terrier.This breed has been described as loyal, loving, and intelligent.  She is one energetic little puppy.  

Fran is one of our neighbors. She is a gourmet cook and caring R.N.
Thank you for allowing me to take the pictures. 

Two of God's Gifts

Happy Birthday Larry! (Larry is on the right)

"You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them." 

Desmond Tutu

I  thank God for the wonderful gift of family!

I think this is the best pancake place in Indianapolis. 

Birthday Pancakes

Creating a new workplace

I am  in the process of creating a new workplace that will be both beautiful and organized. Over the next several days, I will clean my current space. Then, I will ask my decorator friend to help me.  Does a beautiful space have to be expensive? Of course not. My hope is to create an amazing space on a limited budget.  We shall see. 

Anne gave a tour of her husband's art studio.  

Annie Get Your Gun

Annie Get Your Gun was the musical based loosely on the life of Annie Oakley.   She was  part of  Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show where she was billed as the “Little Lady from Ohio who never missed a shot.”   The Wild West Show boosted her to the stardom.  She made a living as a sharpshooter. That was then…

Today, something is happening with women and gun ownership. What it is?   According to national trends gun ownership hit record sales in 2011. A  Dayton Daily News article stated that “The FBI performed 16.45 million background checks for firearms sales in 2011, shattering the previous years record of 14.41 million checks, according to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. Background checks do not necessarily lead to gun purchases, but most do, and the record checks and sales are being fueled in part by the growing number of women who are buying firearms, experts said. About 23 percent of adult women last fall said that they personally own a gun, which is up from 13 percent in 2005, according to Gallup polls.” *

Why the increase in gun ownership? The issues of gun ownership are complicated.  According to the article, women want to feel informed and have a greater sense of security. I have two girlfriends who own guns. Both of my friends are well informed. They have made the decision to take classes, register, and carry concealed weapons. While I respect my friends, I will not be part of the growing trend of women owning guns.   

* Source Dayton Daily News, Cornelius Frolik, Staff Writer 2/3/2012

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Birthday Love and Balloons

Gordon's daughter, son in law and children

Preparing for a birthday celebration, I need my checklist.

ü  What : The occasion  is to celebrate my brother’s milestone birthday

ü  Where:  Indiana

ü  Time:  8:00 ~ 11:00 p.m.

ü  Guest List

ü  Menu

ü  Cake, Ice Cream, Balloons

ü  Helium

What a Helium Shortage!  What in the world! How could there be a helium shortage!  As recently as last Saturday, Party City was limiting the number of balloons with helium to a dozen! While there is a helium shortage, there was no shortage of birthday love for my brother.

Jennifer and Aunt Lena

Smiling High School classmates
Our nephew and his family, some of the many family members at party.

A

Pet of the week

After walking in the park, Jackson enjoys coming home to rest in the grass.  

Could Golden Retrievers be the perfect pet?  It depends. Jackson is loyal, faithful, and patient. He enjoys daily walks, resting in the grass, and a daily treat. He may not be perfect, but he is perfect for us. Our Jackson is the pet of the week. 
Learn more about Goldens here:
Dogs 101

Birthday Celebration

What makes for a great birthday celebration? The Answer: Family, friends, love, laughter and a quiet place to share a meal. Then, you add a special surprise visit from a boyfriend. Perfect!  Azur's restaurant  in Lexington provided a sweet atmosphere for tonight's celebration.  Plus, the food was excellent! Happy Birthday sweet lady!

Cute couple!

UK Graduate and Michigan State Graduate   

Sisters friends from church!

Celebrating the 4th of July

"The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful and virtuous."

Fredrick Douglass

We are celebrating a quiet holiday. On our menu today: turkey burgers, baked beans, cole slaw, veggies, ice tea, homemade ice cream and blackberry cobbler. 

Mixing

Ready to go in the oven

Out of the oven

Silence

Planning a day of silence was not on my agenda. Our power is off. I am enjoying sweet silence. I had thought about scheduling a day of silence.  Not yet.  Certainly not when the weather is SMOKING hot.

Now I am able to focus on quiet reading, reflection and filing papers.  The television, Internet and radio are not distractions.  NO blogging, no checking email, no checking on book sales, no logging into Facebook. Whew, what will I accomplish with a day of silence. In the distance, I hear traffic....

hours later...

The power is restored. Now, what will I do? Check the news, household stuff and pick  up twigs from last night’s storm.

I need more hours of silence.