Day 123

July 7th - Today is Samuel Wade Kight's 11th birthday.

July, 2000

 I first met Sam when he was a week or two old. I flew down from Rome, New York to spend about a week with Tiffany and spoil my two grand-kids. What a fun time that was. He was a special little guy and his older sister took good care of him and always answered all his questions for him. 

December 2000

He just needed to point and whatever he wanted was given to him. Honestly, he didn't talk much at first because Shelby would do all the talking for him. 
For a while, his eyes seemed so huge and wide open. As if he was observing everything and analyzing how the world worked. 

Always a happy little baby and a happy boy. And slowly his fun-natured personality started to grow, mature and shine. I think he has discovered his niche and he does it so well. 
He is always known to friends and classmates as the best comedian and humorist. He tells the funniest jokes and loves to hear people laugh. (Just like his Grandpa). 
So what does Sam like? Movies.... he watches them over and over and has an unbelievable number of dialogs memorized in his head - amazing!!

He loves video games, he loves to play outdoors, he loves to be surrounded with friends and family. He is an awesome artist and some of his pictures are fantastic. He is a sensitive soul and so tender-hearted. 

It's also very hard to get a 'real' picture of Sam. Most times he's acting out and making a face of some kind at the camera. I have to remind him to please smile for me. 
One thing that I like about this young man is how he tells his family that he loves them. Almost every time someone leaves the house or he goes out to play he always says, "Love you." How special is that? 
Happy Birthday Sam. 
Your Grandma & Grandpa love you too. 

Day 122

"Blessed are the pure in heart,

for they will see God."

Matthew 5:8

This was our memory verse to learn tonight. All of our lessons and activities revolved around the heart. 30 children - aged 4 to 4th grade learning what it is to have a pure heart but also just learning about physical hearts. 

We jogged in place and felt our hearts beat.

They each had a tennis ball to squeeze for 60 seconds. Then they tried again to squeeze that tennis ball 70 times for 60 seconds, because that's how hard a heart works for every minute of every day.

Then an illustration to demonstrate how a person can be beautiful on the outside, but still dirty, ugly, and impure on the inside. We used three coffee mugs, clean and pretty on the outside, but one was dirty on the inside.

I shared a real sheep's heart. I thought they would all puke or faint, but I had disposable, plastic gloves and surprisingly, each one came and either touched or picked it up. I showed the different chambers, the arteries that carried life-giving blood throughout the body. They thought that was too cool! 

Oreo cookies were the snack and they were shown how to screw them open and look at the white inside. And now when they look at the icing, they will be reminded that this represents a pure heart, which is something they should desire. 

And the underlying message was that God desires us to have a pure, spiritual heart. Not one that is fueled by blood, but by God, prayer, time in His Word, praise, worship, and service to him. 

I am always thankful because these messages that we prepare for these young souls still feed this old soul too. I am thankful that God speaks to ME in these lessons and teaches me something every time. I am so grateful for that. 

   

Day 121

After almost a week of feeling not well, I think I'm finally coming to the conclusion that I may be sick. Maybe I have a flu or something similar. But it's so strange because it comes and goes, I plan things and have to back out, and I have to make the decision of, "Is my body hungry or is it hurting because it's sick? - Should I eat or should I wait?" 

This is actually a flower that is really, really growing right outside
my front door. See.... I don't kill EVERYTHING I grow....... 

I missed Hannah House today - I took my shower, fed myself and the animals, got dressed and then decided I couldn't make it. I did go get my hair cut, but that was pushing it. So this afternoon I had a bowl of chicken soup and napped in the bedroom. Fortunately all my animals love nap-time too and they kept me company.

 Hopefully I will feel some improve-ment tomorrow.  Wade is doing fine although he seems to be relying more and more on food that he's stashed away and whatever the interpreters bring him from outside. I think I'm going to have to figure out what kind of goodies I can send to him too. 

Day 120

Happy Independence Day! I was thinking back trying to figure out which Independence Day was my most memorable. I've had many, many years of this holiday. I could say the years that we sat on the hill at the end of Sabra Avenue and watched fireworks in Dayton were nice. I remember the box of fireworks my parents would usually buy and set off when dusk would set in. But the one that sticks in my mind was really almost a non-celebration. When Wade and I were a very young couple we went to the San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts for the afternoon and planned to stay for the fireworks display. This was going to be really, really great! A boat would be taking off from Alcatraz Island in the bay and set off spectacular fireworks across the sky over the bay. What a sight that would be - something to remember. We waited and waited and while we're waiting something that San Francisco is famous for occurred ............. the fog rolled in....... Not just a little fog, but the big all-encompassing blanket that smothers San Francisco during the summertime. There was no way a boat could be seen. Nothing but a big wall of fog..... but wait! We could hear the fireworks, we could see faint glimmers of light flashing near the top of the fog bank. I can't remember how long we stayed, but we didn't see the fantastic light show that we had anticipated. It's a story I won't forget and I always smile when I think of that day. 
Today, I skyped with Wade this morning and we had a good long talk. 

When we were done, I got to work cleaning and redecor-ating the bedroom. This year has been horribly, horribly bad with dog hair. It's everywhere and I am constantly fighting this battle with the hair. All bedding (mine and the dogs') were washed today. Curtains were washed, complete vacuuming, dusting, and general cleaning. 

I bought two new book-shelves at my favorite store and assembled those. I finished the whole job by 4:00 or so and I'm very pleased with the final result. 
Opie has opportunities to jump to the window ledges and he loves sitting up there and looking out. 

I have become an expert now at discon-necting and recon-necting all those wires from the satellite box, dvd player, tv, etc. 
Now I'm relaxing and watching "Independence Day" on tv. One of my favorite movies and one I watch every year at least once. 

Day 119

It's Sunday and it's been warm and humid. We were supposed to skype with Wade in Sunday School this morning but we never made the connection - so I am looking forward to my skype with him tomorrow. I was in charge of the VBS games during the church service and I was 'blessed' with 3 exuberant groups of children that wore me out. I survived this Sunday, but next time I think I would like a little more assistance. However, I can definitely say that I 'earned some jewels in my crown' today! 

Lunch was good with Jason, Peggy & the kids. We had meatloaf, macaroni & cheese, green beans, french bread and brownie sundaes for dessert. This afternoon I just rested and napped in the living room. A very quiet and peaceful time. 

Today is my step-mother's birthday. Rita Ward Watson O'Shea. Unfortunately, I am not in contact with her anymore, but for a time she was a part of our lives. She turned 86 this year. 

L-R: Peter Watson, Wade, me, Jason, Rita, Tiffany, Dad, and Jennifer Lynn.
Dad & Rita's wedding - July 20, 1984

 Rita was a widow with 10 child-ren, the youngest still in high school, when my dad started dating her. After their wedding, this particular  daughter lived with them for at least a year, maybe longer.
Rita was an active, vibrant person. She was very involved in her church and her community. She performed in community theatre and even acted in local television commercials in the Sacramento area. She had a very out-going personality, and I remember her laugh which was loud and lively.  

She was very dedicated to her church and they both continued to attend her church and Dad's church, some-times even on the same day. 
Throughout their whole marriage, I was never concerned or worried that she didn't love him or care for him. All those years, she supported and encouraged him. And we could see that he was happy too. 

The day of Dad's funeral. March, 1998
L-R: Brother Steven, Rita, me, and brother Mike.

For a while after my dad died, we did keep in touch periodically but over the years we have drifted apart. I never kept in contact with any of her children either. I do know that she took on her maiden name again (O'Shea) although I remember her as Rita Ward-Watson. I have no doubt that she is well cared for with all her children there in California and dozens and dozens of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Happy Birthday, Rita. 

Day 118

Saturday - 

It's been a warm, humid day today and I spent most of it inside. I did walk for 4 miles on my treadmill this after-noon while I watched a Harry Potter movie. But tonight I went outside after the sun had gone down and walked around the property. I looked up at the sky and saw this sight. The picture does not show how deeply blue the sky was, but this was still very pretty. The lightning bugs are dancing above all the lawns everywhere, but I can't catch those on the camera. I walked  around in the front yard and then turned around to head back inside.

This was how the house looked tonight. The porch lights are on and ready to light things up and invite more moths and june bugs to visit. Everything is calm and peaceful. I've made most of tomorrow's meal and dessert so I won't have much to do in the morning. The table is all set and ready to go.  

Day 117

Friday - July 1st - holy cow, how can it be July already?? Time is flying by pretty quickly. 
First I want to share the sad news that we received last night. I got an email from brother-in-law, Willie, that Wade's brother Raymond had passed. 

Ray, Gail, Rick holding Wade, and Willie

Now Ray was 4 years older than Wade and in the exact middle of the 5 kids. Ray was very ill and had been for most of his adult life. He endured lots of surgeries, pain, and even losing his wife in a freak accident about 14 years ago. 

Ray, Willie, Wade, Rick & Gail with friends

He was on dialysis and he had many other com-plications from diabetes. However I heard that he was living in an apartment with a 'hover-round' and all the little ladies loved to look after him.  To quote what Wade posted on Facebook last night:
"His passing was not unexpected - but he will still be missed. He is with his beautiful wife. I am sure heaven is a little 'funnier' right now."

Raymond Brower 

6/20/52 - 6/30/11

This Friday I worked on and finished my sewing project which is a red flannel robe for Sam for his 11th birthday on July 7th. I'm so glad to have finished it and I will definitely be able to get it sent well before the big day. It will most likely be extra big and long, but that's okay because he can wear it for more than a year that way. He told me last time I was there that his favorite color was red. Let's hope he hasn't changed his mind!!

Tonight I took Jaide and Jared to Wittenberg College for an outdoor production of "The Princess and the Pea". The daughter of our children's pastor, Pastor Patty, was in the performance. That is her, MaeLynn, between the princess and the pea there on the right side. 

All the little girls were 'dust bunnies' (under the mattresses). It was a cute little show and the weather outside was perfect! Wittenberg is a very pretty and old college in Springfield. 

After the play we went to Wendy's Restaurant for dinner. It was busy and crowded, but we waited anyway. As we left, we saw this sight in the parking lot. There were several tricycles parked out there, but the trailer on this particular one really caught my eye and I just had to take a picture to share with Wade.