Gathering Graces 4/16/2017

*Happy Easter to one and all.  He is Risen!!  He is Risen Indeed!!!

*Church was wonderful, and it is such  a joy to be a part of the worship team, and sing with Chris Schonewald Meyer, Amy Holland-Arnhold, Tim Arnhold and Paul the beautiful Easter music this morning.  I also got to play the flute on one of the numbers, which I also enjoy.

*I prepared dinner at home to take over to Mom’s house later.  I put the ham in, put some Yams in to bake, stuffed some celery and made some deviled eggs.  (I thought of you, Cosette, when I made the eggs.)  Paul went over to Mom’s house earlier to mow her lawn, then I arrived with the food, and opened a can of Bush’s Baked Beans to heat up,  and then Momwe had ourselves a wonderful Easter dinner. 

*It has been getting harder and harder for Mom to get up and down her front steps.  We are in the process of trying to find someone to build a ramp to Mom’s front porch.  But we did a little experiment today, and rolled Mom down her front steps and back up again in her wheelchair.  Success!!  It will work for now until a ramp gets put up.  It was a beautiful afternoon, and Paul wheeled Mom around the yard to look at the flowers that were blooming, and to let her see what things looked like after the long, hard winter.  She loves being outside in her yard.  She is hoping to have a nice day soon so she can clean out a couple of the raised beds and get them ready for planting.

Mom on Easter afternoon in her yard.

Gathering Graces 4/15/2017

Nancy Hanks, on the couch, directing and filming Kay Reed, myself and Dr. Scott Reed last night.

*After seeing Mom in the morning, I headed out to Barneys in Pinehurst to finish up the grocery shopping.  Mom wanted to have ham for Easter dinner, and Barney’s had the best price.  One of the ladies in the meat department was very helpful explaining to me the difference between a butt and and a shank ham (it has to do with the size of the bone), so that helped me choose what ham to purchase.

*While at Barneys I ran into a parent of one of the seniors, and she asked me about some FAFSA questions, told me what options her son is looking at, and we set up an appointment for her to come in and talk next week.

*I have been reading the book of Joshua in the mornings, and it talks about the land each of the twelve tribes of Israel received in the Promised Land, and what those borders were.  I was curious so I looked up some Biblical maps online so see where the borders of the tribes were in relation to modern times.  Then it took me to looked at photographs of Jerusalem and Israel, and longing for the day when I get to visit.  That is one of the top things on my traveling list, to visit Israel.

*I had time to take a relaxing bubble bath this afternoon, and it felt so nice.  The Body Shop has this product called Honeymania Bubble Bath Melt that I use when I take a bath.  It smells wonderful, and is very relaxing.

*Paul and I drove to Wallace to meet a group of photographers from the North Idaho Photography Club who were in Wallace for the day taking pictures, and the Sixth Street Melodrama and Theater was one of their stops.  They were a very nice group of people, and we enjoyed showing off the beautiful theater.  And it was nice to hear how enthusiastic they were about coming back this summer to see a show.

*Then I headed over to Nancy Hank’s house for another film shoot of Across Bank Street: The Portal to the Clockworld Part Two. It was a fun evening, and went really well.

*I was home by 10 p.m.  I watched the rest of an NCIS episode I hadn’t finished earlier in the week, then I was ready to sleep.

Gathering Graces 4/14/2017

*Each year beginning after the Maundy Thursday service, our church begins a prayer vigil where members sign up for hour long  times to pray through Easter morning.  I started off my morning praying from 5-6 a.m. as part of this vigil.  Paul had the 6-7 a.m. prayer time.  I love this tradition in our church.

*After going to Mom’s this morning, I went up to the clinic to get some blood work done for one of my medications.  I also got the information to set up my Patient Portal through the clinic, so I can view my medical information from the clinic online.

*Mom had given me a list of items she wanted at a few stores, so I stopped at Yokes first to buy some items.  I was asked by two different people why I wasn’t working, and explained to them that I don’t work on Fridays.  Four day work weeks are perfect for me.

*I needed to finish listening to The Handmaid’s Tale for book group, so I spend the morning listening to the rest of the book so I would be prepared for our discussion.

*I stuffed some celery and headed out to Kingston to attend book group at Sue Dahlberg’s house.  She made a delicious clam pasta dish.  Others brought deviled eggs, roasted asparagus, homemade rolls, green salad, and blueberry fool and coconut custard pie for dessert.  The discussion of the book was very interesting.  A couple of the women had read the book when it was first published in 1986, and they shared how different it was reading it 31 years later, with a whole lot more life experience behind them.  For many it was frightening, creepy, and a little too real.  I listened to the book, and Claire Danes did a phenomenal job of narrating the book.  Margaret Atwood is a very good writer, and she painted a futuristic world full of wonderful characters that will stick with me for a long time.

*I came home, and saw a message from a friend that one of my classmates from high school, Teresa Lytle Tester had passed away yesterday from a very long fought battle with cancer.  Last week, one of Teresa’s last wishes was to have some of her lifelong friends travel to Oregon to visit her.  So Durea Calkins Thrall, Sam Lewis Brown, Susan Hunter Stein, Melody Berreth and Kaylene Trogden all traveled to Oregon to spend one last day with her.  This trip these women took for their dear friend has really touched my heart, and makes me realize again and again how important the friends are we grew up with, and that I am so fortunate to have a close relationship with a group of women from the same graduating class of 1981, and we take the time, as these women also do, to gather together throughout the year to spend time together, and love and support one another in good times and in bad times.

*I had a couple chicken breasts thawing at home, so I threw them in the crockpot with some salsa, and other seasoning, and let them cook a couple of hours, chopped them up in the food processor, and made chicken tacos for Mom, Paul and I for dinner.  They were really good.  I love cooking with a crock pot!! 

*Bill and Christy both highly recommended watching the movie Spotlight, so Paul and I watched it tonight.  This was an incredible movie, a well done movie, a movie worthy of getting Best Picture in 2016.  Each actor was perfect for their role, and the story of this investigative journalism team going after this story in Boston about the abuse of children in the Catholic church was amazing.  I think I loved it too, because of my journalism background, and my longing for more teams of reporters like this having the ability to spend months and months investigating a story that potentially changes things worldwide.  If you haven’t watched this movie, and want to see a really well done movie, watch Spotlight.

Gathering Graces 4/13/2017

*I went over to Mom’s in the morning, and said goodbye to my brother Bill as he headed back to his home in Maryland.  It was nice to have him here for the week and a half he was able to come and stay with Mom.  People are always commenting to me about how great it is that my two siblings and myself are willing and able to help take care of Mom at this time in her life, and what a blessing that is.  I know that is not the case in all families, but we are all truly blessed.

*Then I headed to Kellogg High School to load on a bus to travel with nine students to visit Fairchild Air Force Base by Spokane, Washington.  We had a wonderful day touring the refueling airplanes, talking to the base’s fire department, and seeing how the Working Military Dogs are used in the Security Force part of the base.  I was attacked by one of the dogs. So were some of our students.  We had protective gear on, so it was all good!!  Below KHS student Shenea Bermel is getting attacked.

*Mom and I enjoyed some toasted ham and cheese sandwiches for dinner.  They were made from some ham lunch meat we had at home, and some Jarsberg cheese Molly and Travis left when they came home last weekend.  They were delicious!!

*Our Maundy Thursday service was tonight at church.  It was so beautiful.  Pastor David Langer shared thoughts from John 13 throughout the service, and we sung beautiful hymns, and our Worship Team sang a beautiful song call Midnight in the Garden.  This is one of my favorite services at our church.  It is very reflective and somber, listening to the night Jesus shared with his disciples the Last Supper, and as he washed their feet, and then he was later betrayed by one of his beloved twelve disciples. 

*I had posted a video on Facebook of my being attached by the Working Military Dog on Facebook and it was funny reading people’s reactions.

Gathering Graces 4/12/2017

*Today at KHS we notified 27 students that they would be inducted into the National Honor Society chapter next week.  This is the most that have been inducted in a year since I have been involved in NHS.  I look forward to working with these new members as they become NHS members.  The induction ceremony in Wednesday, April 19 at 10:45 in the KHS gym if you would like to come!

*I sent Mrs. Maciosek some souvenirs from our college trips last week, a letter written by Flat Stanley about his adventures, and a link to the You Tube slide show I created from the photos.  Here is a link to the video if you want to watch Flat Stanley Visits College---Gear Up Spring Break Trip 2017 Kellogg High School.

*The water was off on Cameron Avenue yesterday afternoon, so when I arrived for dinner, it was put on hold until Bill could have some water to wash potatoes for the potato soup he was fixing.  The water came on about 5:15 p.m., and dinner preparations commenced.  The soup was very delicious.  Christy joined us, and Paul was done with Driver’s Ed earlier than expected, so he joined us, too.

*This is Holy Week in the Christian church, and our church has a Maundy Thursday service this week, so our worship team met tonight to practice music for that service, and for Easter morning. In case you are curious, Maundy is derived from the Latin word for “command”, and refers to Jesus’ commandment to the disciples to “Love one another as I have love you.”  Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, which Christians consider the institution of Holy Eucharist, also known as the Lord’s supper or communion.

Gathering Graces 4/11/2017

*With Bill here today, I let him do morning duty on Mom’s house so I could get to school early and be ready to proctor the SAT test to a classroom of junior students.  Our state pays for each junior to take the SAT, and April 11 is the day. Things didn’t go quite as planned.  Sometimes when Paul is the last person to drive the car at night, he puts the car keys in his coat pocket.  Then he wears his coat to work.  And when I go to get the keys, they are gone, in his coat pocket, on their way to KHS.  So I call him, and he figures a way to get them to me.  Yes, it would be nice if we got another set of car keys, but we probably won’t.

*So from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. I was in a classroom proctoring juniors taking the SAT test.  It is a rather grueling process to take these tests, but the students hung in there, and made it through the long morning.

*Some of today was spent going through the results of who will be chosen for membership for National Honor Society.  Four KHS faculty went through the applications, and we will tell the students tomorrow if they were chosen or not.

*It can be very exhausting proctoring a test.  I was beat by the end of the day.

*I came home and took a short rest, then went over to Mom’s for dinner.  Bill prepared a delicious pork meal, and Christy and Everett joined us, too. 

*Then back up to KHS for our Sixth Street Melodrama and Theater board meeting.  What a wonderful group of people we work with on the board.  We are getting new people to be on the board, and they are full of great suggestions.  I really like this group of people who help run our community theater.

*After the meeting, Paul and I came home and relaxed for a little bit before we headed to bed. 

*This is another quote from my journal: The wonder of living is held within the beauty of silence, the glory of sunlight, the sweet morning air, and the love that lies at the very root of all things.

Gathering Graces 4/10/2017

*It was bed changing day at Mom’s this morning.  I think I was a little groggy after a week of spring break, because when I first made the bed, I forgot to put the top sheet on.  So off went the blanket and quilt, and then I put the top sheet on, and then back went the blanket and quilt.  Bed making complete!!

*When I headed to work, I had made a list of about 20 things to do on a list the night before.  I hoped to whittle away at the list throughout the day. It was really tough being back to work after being on Spring Break, but survived.

*It snowed like crazy most of the morning.  I like snow, but enough is enough.  I am ready for sunshine, flowers and springtime weather.

*I spent the day preparing for a field trip I am taking on Thursday to Fairchild Air Force Base, talking to National Honor Society officers about our meeting on Wednesday, and other things on my list.

*After school we continued our book discussion on the book The Body Keeps Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma.  A lot of our discussions centers around wanting more early intervention with children, and to have that intervention continue on.  We believe this can help a lot of behavioral problems that happen later on with children who have experienced trauma in their lives.

*I went to Mom’s house for dinner.  Bill prepared a delicious macaroni and cheese dish, then two of his friends came and they went out to visit.  I stayed with Mom so she could soak her feet, then she wanted to shower.  I took a short nap on the couch while Mom soaked her feet. 

*I came home and worked on a Flat Stanley slide show that I will be sending to Jackson Maxwell’s second grade teacher at Pinehurst Elementary to tell of Flat Stanley’s adventures with us on our college visit trips to Boise last week.

*It was early to bed for me tonight.  Man, was I exhausted!!

Gathering Graces 4/9/2017

*Paul arrived from his trip to Jerome at around 6 a.m. this morning.  He was worn out!  It was so nice to have him home.

*I zipped over to Mom’s, and she had just woken up.  I am glad with Bill in the house she can sleep a little longer in the mornings if she feels she needs it.  It seems like she is sleeping better, now that she is getting oxygen around the clock.

*Our Pastor gave a wonderful Palm Sunday message.  He asked us if we are a fan of Jesus, or devoted?  On Palm Sunday, many of the people shouting “Hosanna” were fans.  But the disciples were devoted.  They stuck with Him.  Fans are looking to see what Jesus can give them.  Those who are devoted want to serve Jesus.  It was a great question to ponder.

*What a wonderful opportunity to perform the Community Easter Cantata today.  The church was near capacity, and the message we sang was to uplifting and encouraging, as the Easter message should be.  I saw and visited with many people afterward.  I reconnected with a classmate I graduated from high school with, Randy Limesand.  Randy’s mom attends our church, and was performing in the Cantata. I also met Randy’s wife, and he shared with me about his daughter, who attends North Idaho College, and we had a nice visit.

*I came home and rested a bit in the afternoon, then headed over the Mom’s house to eat leftovers from the meals Bill has been preparing.  Then I went back over to church to perform in the 7 p.m. Easter Cantata.  It was wonderful as well, and saw many more people and visited with them.  It was fun reminiscing with my friend Christina about growing up in that church, and getting cookies during coffee hour, and about a Campfire talent show we did in the Fellowship Hall in grade school, and trying to remember what talent each Campfire girl performed.  I did a comedy routine.  She sang Angie Baby.

*Paul and I helped get everything cleaned up at church, then headed home. We relaxed a bit before heading to bed.  Tomorrow we head back to school, for he final nine weeks of the year, and it is always a busy, busy time, this year being no exception.

Gathering Graces 4/8/2017

*The morning began saying goodbye to Molly as she drove to Coeur d’Alene to have her Orientation and interview for the PACE program she will be participating in the next two summers through Lewis Clark State College to received her degree in Education.

*I headed over to Mom’s house with Sadie to do our morning routine.  One thing I have noticed with Mom’s increase in using oxygen 24 hours a day is the color in her feet is improving.  It was looking very purplish/blue last week, but now her color is looking more normal.  That is a good sign!

*I returned home and started getting things ready to take to Cantata practice.  I found the black folder I used last year.  Now I needed to find the three hole punch so I could put the music in the folder.  I looked in the closet where it is often put.  I looked in my bedroom.  I looked on my desk.  I looked on the floor in my office. I looked by the computer printer.  I looked on the bookshelf in my office.  I kept praying, “Lord, help me find the three whole punch!!”  I went back to the bookshelf, moved a few things, and there was the three hole punch, on one of the shelves.  Then I punched my music, and put it in the folder, and was ready for practice, with a few minutes to spare!!

*I drove over to our church for practice.  The Community Easter Cantata, title The Tomb is Empty Now, under the direction of Joy Persoon,  will be performed at Mountain View Congrega at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday.  To say the church was a little chilly during rehearsal was an understatement.  And none of us who belonged to the church who were there had any idea how to turn the heat on.  I think I am going to learn how to turn the heat on at the church. 

*After returning home after a really good Cantata rehearsal, Molly returned, and said her day went well and talked about what her summer will be like being a part of this program.  She will be attending this program from the beginning of June to the beginning of August, five days a week, 8-5 p.m.  And she will do this again next summer as well.  But it will be worth it once she is finished and has her degree!

*Bill, Christy and I met over Best Shots to visit about Mom and each of our plans for the summer, and seeing how that will all work regarding caring for Mom.  We wrote some things down to get accomplished regarding caring for Mom, and enjoyed spending some time together, which we don’t get do to as often anymore, just the three of us.

*Molly, Travis and I went over to Mom’s to have dinner.  Bill had prepared about 10 tons of chicken noodle soup, salad and bread.  I brought over some brownies for dessert that I had made the day before.  Christy also joined us for dinner.  It was nice having us all together to enjoy a meal and visit.  Molly and Travis were able to have a nice visit with Mom as well.

*I received a text from Paul in the early evening, and he did not leave Jerome as early as he through, but eventually was on the road, driving through the night.  I hope he gets some sleep on the bus!!

Gathering Graces 4/7/2017

*It takes me about five minutes to drive to Mom’s house each morning.  This morning, on my drive over to Mom’s house around 7:45 a.m., I experienced rain, sunshine, saw a rainbow, hail and wind.  The crazy weather continued throughout the day, with wind and rain falling most of the time.

*My friend April M Lee is having a women’s retreat in Italy this summer at her home Villa

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Villa Magnolia

Magnolia in the Tuscany region of Italy.  I am helping her get the word out about her retreat.  If you would like to read up about it, the information is here.  If you might be interested, or know of a friend who might be interested in attending, please share April’s website and information, too.  She would like four participants, and has one booked already, so only three spaces are left.

*At the beginning of the year, I started reading through the Bible.  I read a passage from the Old Testament, either a Psalm or Proverb, and a passage from the New Testament.  I am currently reading in the book of Joshua.  The Israelites are getting ready to go into the Promised Land after wandering in the wilderness for 40 years.   The Psalms I am currently reading remind me of choruses we used to sing in church in high school and college.  And I am also reading the book of Acts.  Saul has just been blinded on the road to Damascus, and is being transformed into Paul.  I have read through the Bible a few times, and it is always interesting what information is important and sticks out at different times in our lives.  Right now I am struck by the miracles that are happening in Acts by the apostles.  And how faithful Joshua was in the wilderness to God and to Moses.  I learn something, or am struck by something I have read each morning.

*I continued listening the The Handmade’s Tale today. It is a very well written book that portrays a futuristic world that would be very bleak.   Are there any books out there that are interesting and well written that give a hopeful and positive future to our world?  If you have read such a book, and liked it, leave me the title in the comments below.

*Molly and Travis arrived early this evening, and brought along Clark, their new kitten.  Clark wasn’t quite sure of our three cats, or Sadie our dog, so he went downstairs for a while, then came up later and wasn’t quite so nervous.  We ordered Wah Hing for dinner, and enjoyed some General Tong Chicken, House Lo Mein, and Hot and Sour Soup.  It really hit the spot.

*I have started watching the first season of NCIS again, and it is interesting how all the characters I have grown to love over the years started out.

Gathering Graces 4/6/2017

*I drove Paul over to pick up the Kellogg School District van that he will be driving his Speech students in to Coeur d’Alene to get on the charter bus that will transport them, along with students from various other North Idaho schools to Jerome, Idaho for the State Speech Competition.

*A bit later I drove over to Mom’s house to jump into the morning routine.  Mom was just getting up when I arrived, but I got her bed made, started some laundry, but left breakfast to Bill, since Mom needs about a 30 minute window between taking her pills and having breakfast.  Mom seemed to be doing good, and I was glad she had a good night’s sleep.

*Today was a low-key day.  I needed a low-key day.  I started listening to Clair Danes read Margaret Atwood’s book The Handmaid’s Tale, and worked on some little projects including a deposit for the bank, tried a new brownie recipe, did some publicity for the theater, and set up ticketing for the new season for the theater as well.  It was an un-rushed, quiet, but yet productive day.

*Paul called during the evening, and it was nice to talk to him about his ride.  In Boise, he got off the bus and jumped in Zoe’s car, and rode with her to Jerome.  She took Friday off from work to come and be one of his judges for the competition, and spend some time with her dad.

*Before I knew it, it was after midnight and time for bed. 

Gathering Graces 4/5/2017

*We woke up, got packed, and headed to Boise.  We stopped at the Flying M for coffee and breakfast, (the cappuccino and Blueberry Scone was so yummy!!!) then off to Boise State University.  Drake had an appointment at 9 a.m., so we dropped him off, and went and parked, and hung out in the SUB until it was time for our admission’s appointment.  We gathered in a small auditorium, and as the students introduced themselves and told where they were from, almost all of the 20 or so students in the audience except the four KHS students and the one student from Washington were from California.  And none of them were traveling together.

*After the admission’s presentation, Cole from Las Vegas took us on our tour, and did a really great job.  My highlight of the tour was to finally walk around in weather that was above 60 degrees.  I have not experienced that in quite some time.

*Rylee had been wanting to eat at Sizzler’s so that is where we ate after the tour before heading to the airport.  It was a perfect choice.  We all had steak, and everyone enjoyed their meal.

*After lunch we returned the Nissan Altima car we had rented for the trip.  It was wonderful, even though I was unfamiliar with not having a key.  But I only left the car running once without turning it off.  Thank goodness the students had my back, and helped me realize the car was still running!!

*Our plane was on time today, so I colored while waiting for the airplane to arrive.  A quick 45 minute flight from Boise to Spokane, and we were greeted by a very handsome chauffeur driver at the airport, waiting to drive us back to Kellogg.

Our handsome driver greeting us at the airport.

*I hugged each student as I said goodbye, and told them how awesome they were, and how much I enjoyed spending time with each of them over the last couple of days.  They were polite, engaged, enthusiastic, and appreciative.  They represented Kellogg High School very well.

*After dropping all the students off, Paul and I stopped and Yoke’s and picked up a pizza for dinner, and watched a really good “bad” movie called Joyful Noise.  There was quite a bit of star power in this movie (Queen Latifah, Dolly Parton, Kris Christopherson, Courtney Vance) for it being such a cheesy movie, but it was entertaining.

Gathering Graces 4/4/2017

*It was an early morning for us all as we got up, showered, and drove to Caldwell.  We stopped at Starbucks and McDonalds for coffee and breakfast, then drove to Zoe’s Alma Mater, The College of Idaho, to visit.  We began the visit talking to Erin, one of the Admission’s Counselors about the college.  Then the students attended a class called Mechanical Analysis of Sport, where they got to help with one of the projects in the class.  The assignment was to compare barefoot running to running in trainers (running shoes).  They really enjoyed being a part of this class.  Then we got a campus tour, and got to eat lunch on campus, which was very good.

Sage participating in the class project.

*Then we drove to Nampa and visited Northwest Nazarene University.  We began the afternoon with a tour, then Sage and Ethan attended a Christian Theology class, and Drake and Rylee went to the Mathematics class, decided they were bored, so went to a Photography class, and ran all over campus, meeting people and making connections.  Rylee was excited to meet the softball coach while her and Drake were exploring.

Ethan, Drake, Nate, Rylee and Sage showing off their new NNU shirts.

*After classes we went back to the Admission’s Welcome Center and met with Nate, who told us about applying to NNU, and he showed us some dorm rooms, and gave a lot more information. 

*Then it was off to Meridian to visit “The Village”.  Zoe met us there, and we got some coffee and visited while the students went shopping, then we ate dinner.  Everyone was getting tired, so we said goodbye to Zoe and headed back to Nampa to Kevin and Linda’s house.

Zoe and I at The Village.

*I had a nice visit with Kevin and Linda, and the students became engaged in the board game Life.  My niece Karlie and her boyfriend Daniel were also there, and it was fun seeing them and visiting with them as well.

Ethan, Rylee, Sage, Drake, Linda and Kevin.

*Then it was time for bed, and we were all ready.