how lovely are thy branches

 

 

Went to the Hampton Hills Tree Farm with Mark and Kathy and Baby Isaac today. Ivar was totally into it. Between Cousin Mark! (always said with enthusiasm), the Christmas Tree, Dad with a saw and Baby Isaac it was a very thrilling day. and Elsie slept through the whole thing. Not sure she even knew we had left our house.

 

And now to trim the tree!

 

burping elsie

"Ah, Aunt Bec, I am going to burp baby Elsie. So hand her to me that way." -Sonna

dear email family,

At Grandma's birthday party we each got a wooden ornament with her picture on it. Since then it has hung right by Ivar's reading chair in his room. Ivar likes to give Grandma sips of water from his bottles, and especially likes it when the littlest kitten gives Grandma a goodnight kiss. I like it that Ivar still knows his great grandma.

Grandma died one year ago today. I miss her a lot. I just spent an hour reading emails she sent out to the family over the past few years and it made her feel very near.

I love Grandma's strong voice in her writing. Felt like she had just sent these emails today.

Here are some favorites from Grandma B.

Dear email family,
What a joy to be able to visit with you again. Some were sure I had to buy a new computer, but our Vern who takes care of the many computers out at the electronics building was able to fix it--how ? don't ask me. I was taking a nap and when I awoke , Margaret was here with her neighbor and Vern was busy fixing. How long they had been here I don't know. How thankful I am. He made other things on this machine be more handy and better for me. I said all I want to do is e-mail but now I can reach facebook and bring up the blogs much easier. And all he would take is "Thanks"

Psalm 107:1,2

"O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures forever!

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

whom he has redeemed from trouble."

Life here in Venture Out is comfortable for me. I simplllllly waited patiently [ or not so patiently-] for this machine to be fixed and read two books

 

I love you all, if you wish to be deleted from my e-mail list, please let me know. Too many messages are not needed. Grandma B.

 

Dear email family,

What a lovely day for a walk. Sunny but cool, a little wind and a clear blue sky. Ann left me a lot of pretty glads to play with yesterday. I made one white bouquet and one yellow, with other things to go with them. She also brought a huge purple and green gladiola bouquet. So my house has lots of color.

 

I've been doing a little painting.  Would like to try painting the evergreen in our front yard on the farm, that one Christmas was completely covered with snow after Phil had put all the colored lights on it. we had to add another set every year, the tree grew so fast. That was always a must before the kids came home from college. It was so pretty and they always looked forward to seeing it. My, that's a long time ago and that time went so quickly. It was always such a joy when they arrived--still is--

 

O, my new hearing aids have arrived, I'm so anxious to try them out. Will get them Friday when Ann and I will go to Fairmont.

 

Don has put some new information about Jan on 'caring bridge'. She has had some new changes on her tongue that should improve her ability to swallow. Was back to the hospital at the U yesterday to have this done. she is back home and Don is busy keeping her comfortable. How fortunate we are to have him to care for her.

 

Tonight is Bingo, plan to go and play. I was so disgusted when I found out we had services with Rev. Wilson this morning and I didn't know it. That's what I get for not looking at the black board early in the morning. But I cook my own oatmeal, with peaches and blue berries and english walnuts on top with plenty of butter and brown sugar--very good. and I don't go down till noon.

our verse for today: I am thinking a lot about Mt. Carmel these days, we will be gathering our family there next July. I found writtten in my Bible : " theme for Mt. Carmel in July of 1995,"

Isaiah 43:1

"Now thus says the Lord,

He who created you,

He who formed you,

"Fear not, for I have redeemed you:

I have called you by name, you are Mine."

So many wonderful Messages we received over the years, this was my 57th year of enjoying " a litttle bit of heaven at Carmel. So many good speakers, both for grown ups and the children.

Love you all, Grandma B.

Dear email family,
...mom made lots of rolled sugar cookies and drop cookies, guess she made all the ones I made, too. Plus she made divinity!! and she didn't have an electric mixer for years and years. Lots of arm power. Mom was so great, how she ever did all she did, I'll never know--maybe when I get to heaven she can tell me--I doubt wwe'll have time--think all we will do there is sing praises to our loving Heavenly Father. Love you all, Grandma B.

 

thankful for miracles

 

A few weeks ago we had our small group from our former church over to our new place. I was busy in the kitchen when the first family arrived: Scott, Emily and Calvin. Calvin. Miracle boy Calvin who I have prayed for since he was 20 weeks old inside of his mama. And there he was... standing in my kitchen. A miracle looking back at me.

You might remember me writing about Calvin here and here. He is the son of our good friends Scott and Emily, born with his heart and liver on the outside of his body. He is a miracle in our midst. After hearing about his life in the ICU for his first seven months, praying with might as he endured numerous risky and bold surgeries and getting to know him through stories, pictures and caring bridge posts, there he was in my kitchen.

I asked Emily if I could share a post they wrote on their Caring Bridge site on November 7th. When I read this and my heart was overflowing with joy, remembering once again that I believe in miracles. I forget that sometimes. But read the following. I can think of nothing more fitting to post on thanksgiving, a day to reflect on everything we are grateful for. At the top of the list: a loving God who is still active and at work in the lives and hearts of all of his children.

One year . . . it’s been one year since Calvin came home for the very first time! What a year it has been! Here’s a recap of what the past year has brought:

Calvin came home at the age of 7 1/2 months, he could not sit on his own, he could not breath on his own. He had never made a cry or a noise with his voice. He came home connected to a ventilator 24/7. One year ago, he had a G and J tube down his nasal passages. His heart was not completely healed over with skin. He was missing the middle of his diaphragm. His liver was still protruding from his abdomen. Our nursing care was a required 24 hours a day 7 days a week. He had not met most of his family prior to coming home. He was in 12 month clothes! He could only sign the word “dog”. The only place he had ever been was the hospital and the yard of the hospital.

Calvin is now 19 1/2 months, he can sit, scoot, stand and walk on his own. He can breath on his own. He loves to make audible voice sounds. He is not connected to a ventilator. He no longer has two feeding tubes going through his nose, instead he has one tube going directly into his stomach through the side of his abdomen. His heart his completely covered with his own skin. He now has a whole diaphragm. His liver has been put back into his abdominal cavity. We have 16 hours of nursing a day (on average). He has met most of his family multiple times. He is still in 12 months clothes, but does wear 18 and 24 sometimes. He has a signing vocabulary of 30+ signs. He has made trips to the zoo, a couple stores, the park, his grandparents among a few other places.

Some more current things about Calvin: he loves cars, I mean LOVES, he asks multiple times a day to go in the car; he likes to point out everything that he sees all day long; he no longer takes naps; he likes to make us (and himself) laugh; he is finally wanting to snuggle us sometimes; he LOVES television although he isn’t allowed to watch it much; he loves to kiss everybody and everything (and they are the best little kisses ever); he has learned how to whine; and he thinks that people in blue scrubs are scary. 
 
The past year at home has brought many joys, tears, and challenges. We have had a few hospitalizations, but in general he was home most of the year. Calvin has been blessed by God with good health, healing and continued progress without any hiccups along the way. We love our little boy so much and wouldn’t change a thing about him. This coming year will be sure to bring many changes and challenges as well as we work to get his trach out and he works on learning how to eat. Thank you for walking this journey with us. Please continue to pray for us. 
 
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

This battle belongs to the Lord and is more than a health condition, it’s for His glory.

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25

sweet sonna

Annika came home from parent teacher conferences and was met at the door by her girls. She told them, "Oh girls, your teachers love you so much. I am so blessed to be your mom and to get to hear of how you are a friend to others, are good listeners and respectful to the teacher and how you work very hard at learning every day."

Annika had a folder for each girl, filled with their own papers and projects showing their mastery of different skills. Sonna was rummaging through her folder and asked her mom, "Where is the one where she wrote she loves me?"