Hello from the drizzly overcast day just over the hilltop in Norwood. November is about done and hopefully we’ll begin to see more sunshine. One thing about a deary November is that brighter days are coming and until they do I’ll keep on being thankful for the wonderful works that God has done and for each perfect gift He has given me.
These are a few of my favorite things and they are not in order of preference but as I think of them: sunsets and sunrises, my Mom, that God loves me and saved me, rainbows and waterfalls, convertibles, my six children, fourteen grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. For Dick my best friend and ally, our new home, church, writing, meandering rivers and streams, porches, stone walls and covered bridges. The four seasons including snow and rain but NOT thunderstorms. Full moons, ice skating, badminton, and ping pong. Also basketball, swimming, and walks with Dick. There are so many more but you get the idea.
Turkey and Pizza
Since getting sick, I enjoyed my first outing by going with Dick to Eric’s and Andrea’s Saturday night for a Thanksgiving Pizza. The rest of the family had gathered at Chad’s and Kate’s that same day for Thanksgiving and though we missed going down state we had a lovely time at Eric’s. On Thanksgiving Day Dick picked up two dinners to go at the Potsdam Episcopal Church and so we had a quiet dinner with just the two of us with no clean-up or prep work. I was grateful they allowed us to take them out this year as we have eaten there for several years now and knew the food would be excellent.
My brother Don stopped over for a visit Sunday morning while here from Vermont hunting and visiting is son and family in the area. It was such a pleasure to spend a few hours with him before he heads to Florida for the winter.
Baby Elsa
We have not yet been able to meet Elsa, but Karen has been sending pictures of her with Garrett and Heidi taking good care of their new sister. Karen had prepared them for Elsa (I love her name so rich with our Norwegian heritage) by practicing with a baby doll during the pregnancy. They learned how to hold the baby, not cover her face, rock gently, and listen to Mommy for instructions. Karen was telling me that Garrett (4) and Heidi (2) had covered Elsa with every blanket and every dish towel they could find and never covered her face. She overheard them reminding each other to “be careful and don’t cover her face.” Karen was sure they had about eight inches of coverings on little Elsa. Well, she shouldn’t have been cold.
Baby Elsa, I. am. coming.
Then the other day, Elsa cried from her bed upstairs and Heidi jumped up from where she was playing downstairs and started running down the hall to go check on her. As she was running she shouted, “Baby Elsa, I. AM. COMING.” I’m not sure what she intended to do when she got upstairs but her heart was surely in the right place. Karen also reported that Garrett had gotten up the morning after it snowed and went running to the window exclaiming, “It snowed. It snowed!” But looking out the window his voice changed to a quiet disappointment as he whispered, “just not enough.” They had only gotten an inch or so as you could still see the grass. I’m so thankful for Karen sharing these precious moments with us because we don’t see them very often.
First job training
A few weeks ago a former waitress and friend stopped by to visit with her husband. They were in the area visiting her parents and I was so glad to see Carly again. During the conversation she told me she was grateful for the training she’d received at Mom’s not realizing how much it would help her in the vocation she is in now. She particularly mentioned about the “before you answer the phone, stop, put a smile on your face, pick up the phone, and then say “hello, this is Mom’s Schoolhouse.” I had told them that their smile would be felt and heard over the phone and Carly says that is helping her both in phone messaging and in writing e-mails. Getting yourself in the right frame of mind with a smile lets the recipients on the other end know you are happy to be talking or writing to them. It is wonderful to realize that somehow, someway, you’ve made a difference or been helpful in someone’s life.
My voice is almost back to normal and that reminds me of another story. Stay tuned for next week’s voice story and how never to give up but rather look for solutions. Have a blessed week. Love, Sharon