Give Me a "G"!

Grandparents are wonderful!
I have many, many great memories of my grandparents...very special memories.

My Grandma Bellman sewed for me...all kinds of clothes as I was growing up--including many really cool clothes for my Barbie dolls.  And she called me "Deary."  I loved that.

My Grandpa Bellman shared freshly caught bluegill fish and chocolate candy stars with me.  He always wore his grain elevator uniform and would not wear a tie to my wedding.
That's O.K., because that was Grandpa.

My Grandma Huff shared her gentle giggle and her love of Jesus.  She was a woman of many sorrows, but she loved like nobody else I knew.

My Grandpa Huff died in a farming accident the year before I was born, but my mom shared enough stories for me to know that he would have been a gentle giant and would have loved being a grandpa.

My kids have their own amazing grandparents and have already collected so many precious memories.  I don't want to take their storytelling voices from them, so I thought it would be interesting to have them give me an acrostic alliteration for their grandparents.

Here it goes...

G...Genetically Generous

R...Remarkably Rockin'

A...Awesomely Altruistic

N...Naturally Nice 

D...Definitely Dandy

P...Perfectly Passionate

A...Absolutely Adorable

R...Rurally Reminiscent

E...Extremely Encouraging

N...Noticeably Nurturing

T...Truthfully Tenacious

S...Spectacularly Supportive 

Papa B, Grandma Gilda, William

Matthew, and Spiderman Josh

Grandpa and Baby Matthew

Grandma, Matthew, Joshua, Carrie, and William

William, Carrie,

Joshua,

Matthew, and GG

Yesterday morning, Mr. Bill and Mrs. Carole prepared a very special Grandparent's Day breakfast before church.

Yes...powdered donuts were on the menu!

Joshua really enjoyed those donuts!

In fact, he said that this was the best breakfast he had ever had!

Sweet, sticky kisses were on the menu too.

Grandmas like those sweet, sticky kisses.

Grandpa is not so sure...

Later in the day (after the Colts game...

which we won't talk about) Grandma, Grandpa, and GG came over for supper.

Here's something that the kids really love...they love stories.

GG knows how to tell a great story!

Supper on the stove.

It was supposed to be meatloaf, but I forgot to get the ground beef out of the freezer in the morning.

Instead, we had William-approved beef and noodles.

Isn't it funny how food sets the stage for some great family times?

Love, laughter, and lotsa food.
Why do they go so well together?

 Enjoying Grandparents...and noodles,

Silence

I'm really having a tough time putting my thoughts into words this evening.

The silence of my thoughts today remind me of the silence that seemed so deafening ten years ago.

On our way to church this morning, an airplane flew over the highway, and I thought about how silent the skies were in the days that followed September 11, 2001.

I had never noticed that the planes were even there...

until they weren't.

Carrie and William were almost the same ages that Josh and Matthew are now.

I remember how silent Carrie and William were.  

They played silently.  They watched television silently.  

They watched our faces silently.

As we drove to church, the kids and I talked of how we were doing that very thing ten years ago...driving to church.

On Tuesday, September 11, we were driving to church for the first MOPS meeting of the year.

I had been so busy getting things ready for the meeting that I hadn't turned on the television at home.

I found out what had happened the minute I walked into the doors of the church and was greeted by the church secretary.

That morning, mothers held the hands of their young children...and were silent.

The big kids went on into the church 

to prepare for morning worship.

I sat in the truck with the little boys, listening to the live coverage from New York City...

waiting for the moment of silence that would come at 

8:46 AM...the time that the first plane hit the north tower.

Josh asked, "What is this all about?"

Racing thoughts...but silence.

How do you explain in one sentence what you will never be able to make sense of?

Below are a couple of post 9/11 faces.

They don't know a different world.

Their world is a world of hope...a world with a future.

A promise to them--and to us--that echoes true in Scripture.

 Ten years later, as we walk into the church, 

there are no surprises.

I look at each of these faces and think about where they were ten years before...not just physically...but where they were in their life journeys.

This morning, our church service opened with a memorial video of that day.

I was caught off-guard by my emotions as I watched the planes hit the towers.

And the silent, desperate acts of those 

who jumped from the buildings.

As I watched that video, it seemed to scream, "Silence!" as time stood still.

Even the planes hitting the towers seemed so silent.

Does that make any sense?

Our church sanctuary itself hasn't changed much.

In fact, I sat right up there to the left, just a couple rows back, later in the week when we met for prayer.

Psalm 46.

And silence.

This young lady was five years old...just starting kindergarten.

Ten years later Carrie is taking an active role on our worship team...and this morning sings "I Am Free!"

She was born into a world without September 11, but she doesn't remember it.

Have you ever noticed how silently our flag waves, all the while declaring in no uncertain terms...FREEDOM!

Grandma, Grandpa, and GG came over this evening to celebrate Grandparent's Day.

We sat outside together, watching the kids play...and remembering.

Judy reminded me of the day, several weeks after September 11, that we went downtown with Carrie and William.  

She asked, "Do you remember how scared William was when he looked up and saw the tall buildings."

I had forgotten.

What else have I forgotten in my day-to-day busyness?

The clouds this evening were glorious.

Glorious in their silence. 

God shouts to me from the Heavens.

"I love you.  I remember you."

Psalm 56:8 

"You keep track of all my sorrows.  You have collected all my tears in Your bottle.  You have recorded each one in Your book."

Remembering September 11...and God's promises,

Seventeen Years!

Happy Anniversary to my Sweetheart!

Seventeen years ago today...on a Saturday...Paul and I were married.
One of my best days ever!

Of the many pictures that were taken that day, this is one of my very most favorites. My paternal grandpa and grandma are on the left, my maternal grandma is seated in the front, and Paul's maternal grandma is on the right.

Paul's grandma, Jane, is still living and more beautiful than ever. Our kids call her GG (Great-Grandma). As you can guess, we all call her GG now.

GG lives close by, and yesterday, we spent the afternoon reminiscing and laughing over lunch, coffee, and dinner. The kids adore her and are always so excited when we go to visit. We love her stories of yesterday and her sweetness of today.

This picture is a reminder to me of the love of family.
It is also a reminder of how quickly time flies by and how we cannot take for granted one moment of our lives.




I am also reminded that Grandpa refused to wear a tie to my wedding. Refused...no matter how much Grandma talked to him about it.


Happy Anniversary, Paul.
I am honored and blessed beyond what I can comprehend that we have the rest of our lives to look forward to together.
I love you very much.


Enjoying our Journey,