I Miss You

 

 Grandma Jeanne works 8 hours at one job and

then 7 hours at another job, and like most grandmothers I keep my grandchildrens
pictures close at hand.  I wish I could see you every week like I get with LillaMai, but
until I see you again, I am able to see pictures of you everyday.  I love and miss you
Penn.

Best Day

"The best days you live are the ones you spend loving other people." - Joyce Meyer/Daily Devotion

(Remembering your visit.  I love you Penn.)

Friends

Brandon (holding LillaMai), Christopher (holding Murphy) & You

Grandma  Jeanne came across these pictures she had taken March 16th when you were here visiting.  The photos were taken at Aunt Lise and Uncle Ty's apartment.  Two friends, (nurses Aunt Lise worked with), had stopped by to say good bye  before moving. 

Posing for pictures were interrupted as we all enjoyed you and Murphy dashing back & forth.  Finally it all came together and we were able to get the five of you in the picture.  Fun times :).

You &LillaMai

Miss You :(

There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are
There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

It's a long road
And you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold
You can find love
If you search within yourself
And the emptiness you felt
Will disappear

And then a hero comes along

With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

Oh ho, Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away, hey yea
Hold on there will be tomorrow in time
You find the way, hey

Then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive
So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you

Grandma Jeanne misses you :(. I can hardly wait until your next visit! You're the BEST! I love you.

I Hope you Dance...

I hope you never lose your sense of wonder
You get your fill to eat
But always keep that hunger
May you never take one single breath for granted
God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they're worth taking
Lovin' might be a mistake
But it's worth making
Don't let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
I hope you dance
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
(Where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small
When you stand by the ocean
Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
Dance
I hope you dance
I hope you dance
(Time is a real and constant motion always)
I hope you dance
(Rolling us along)
I hope you dance
(Tell me who)
(Wants to look back on their youth and wonder)
I hope you dance

When you turned 7 (11-27-10)

When I was your age

When I was your age, whenever I saw a "big" tractor, I wished I could ride in one to see what it looked like from up there. Today grandpa Willard & I got behind this one and I still wished I could ride one.

Greed

I know you are too young to understand the word GREED It exists in all levels of society from individuals as young as yourself to grandparents my age and older. The rich and even the poor. It is a selfish act imposed on us, or at times we can impose on others.

I wish I could protect you from experiencing it in your life.

Great Grandpa Moon

Friday, your great Aunt Gyl (my sister) and I went to visit your great grandpa Moon (my dad).
He is one of thee most amazing men I know.

In my lifetime I don't ever remember feeling judged by him, even when I made wrong choices.
He kept me going by believing I could and would do better. He rejoiced in my accomplishments, and remained my true support when I felt there was no one else.

On this trip I thought about you and wished you could of been with us to meet great grandpa Moon, to see the donkeys that live next door and the metal dragon down the road.

Tyler

This year your uncle Tyler and 2nd cousin, Mark graduated from academy.

Both are planning on attending college. Mark here where grandma Jeanne

lives in Berrien Springs, MI at Andrews University, and Tyler starting out

his first two years, in Norway at Tyriford.

To grandma it didn't seem that long ago they were both 5 years old, just

like you now...

Work

"You cannot plough a field by turning it over in your

mind." [Unknown/quotegarden]

Queens Ann Lace

Back deck

Butterfly on

Queens Ann Lace

Saturday AM

Why are dogs so great? They drool a lot, they sniff your hinnie
as well as all your guest/company. They have big poops that you have
to scoop up and throw some where else, they pee on all your favorite
plants, and some dogs dig big holes in the yard.
They chew up your favorite shoe, sandal or boot; just one from each set!
They push their way into the house, even though you told them to sit and
wait by the door and they gave their word they would; (that is when they
make direct eye contact with you, giving you the confidence they understood
what you said). But NOOOOOOOOOOooooo, the minute you turn around,
their tongue falls out of their mouth, they dash past you into the house, and
their hair starts falling out, and they eat all the cat food up in less than 10
seconds.
...so why are dogs so great?

Because...out of all the creatures in this world we must live with, they are
probablly the only ones who are always happy to see us, never scold us,
best listeners, great to snuggle with, go on any adventure with you,
and ALWAYS clean up their plates.

The Garden

...cilantro

...thyme

...hot yellow peppers

...yellow tomatoes

Marley

Marley waiting for me
to take him for a walk.

...running ahead of me.

...catching up to me.

..waiting for his treat
after our walk.

Marley is grandma's black lab. When you were last here we had Joy, who was

uncle Tyler's pet lab. When uncle Tyler started school, I became Joy's main

caregiver; feeding, watering and walking her. She soon would follow me

everywhere I went. She would sit beside me when I worked in the shop,

wait for me outside the door when I went inside, and sometimes I would

let her ride with me in the car, where she would sit on the passenger's side

with this look like she knew how to drive too. If someone drove up into

the driveway she would run to me and give a low growl warning me some

one was here. When I was sad she would come up to me and lay her head

in my lap or against me and look at me with eyes of compassion.

A couple years ago Joy became very ill. Grandma took her to the vet,

and we put her on medicine hoping she would get better. For several

months we watched her get weaker and weaker. Some times grandma and

aunt Lise would sit with her out in the garage, where she would lay her

head in our laps and fall asleep. Joy died in our arms at the vet's office.

Aunt Lise and I cried a lot and our hearts ached we missed her so much.

I guess I must have cried a lot because grandpa Willard, aunt Lise, and

uncle Tyler surprised me with another black lab puppy, who uncle

Tyler named Marley, after the singer, Bob Marley.

Marley isn't the gentle Joy. He is big, and when he runs to me when I

call he doesn't stop fast enough and often runs right into me. He pulls

the leash out of my hands sometimes when I tell him we're going for a

walk, instead of sitting patiently like Joy until I attach the leash to his

collar. When I give him his treat he slobbers all over and often has crumbs

all over his face, and then wipes it on me!

BUT, like Joy he is always smiling. He follows me around, almost every

where I go, and when someone drives into the driveway he'll go out into

the rode if we don't watch him. When I am sad he looks at me with his

big eyes as if to say "Snap out of it! let's go for a walk!!!"

I am thankful I have another dog to love and take care of.

What do you like about Ringo?

My Morning Shake

8 oz soy milk
1-2 bananas
4 strawberries
a few blueberries

Blend in a blender. I put the fruit in the freezer
for a bit, and it makes the shake nice & cold.


What is your favorite shake?

Rain

I woke up to the sound of a steady, soothing rain this morning. It was
music to my ears and it almost always brings out some frogs, which it
did! This good size tree frog was peeoping in through our window
(most likely watching all those annoying flies that got in).

Grandpa Willard went to church this morning, so I took the opportunity
to wrap some small birthday items for him. If you may wonder in the
future "why" grandma isn't in church...grandma enjoyed church for many
years when your mom, aunt Lise and uncle Tyler were little. Now that I
am old/er the "orgainized religious" practice gives me a head ache some-
times, not always. If you were here I would enjoy taking you, because we
could sing some fun songs, hear some neat stories and get some stickers,
and learn how God is responsible for all the good in life, and most likely
the teachers would call you cute, sweet, and smile alot.

In the adult classes the singing is for the church serivce only, the stories
are replaced with critical opinions, NO stickers whatsoever! People
use the Bible more for pushing their interpetations, instead of using
it as a guide of inspiration and comfort. No one is very cute, however
the old ladies can be sweet, smile and hug a lot; they inspire me.

Some Saturdays I go, and some saturdays I stay home and watch the
birds and look for frogs...

It has stopped raining so I will walk Marley. What do you like to do
on Saturdays, or when it rains?