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| My latest surprise, James |
I used to sort of get annoyed when mom would say, I wonder where the time has gone; now I know exactly what she meant. I find myself of late saying things that I've often heard her say & vow I would never say anything such as that; also, I now note my children rolling their eyes at some of my remarks (did I ever do that - oh, yes, many times.) Where, oh where & when did the summer of 2012 disappear to? One I will never forget as long as my fading memory lasts; it has been the hottest/driest one that I can recall, utility bills over the top due to a/c (tu, Lord for it!) & water bills due to watering plants, gardens; our dead lawns, creatures searching for water. Just last year it was water, water everywhere! Thankfully, we finally did get some of the prayed for rain & things greened up around here once again. I wonder if our water table is still way too low. I'll have to wait until Brian or Bob of KFVS imparts that info.
It has been a difficult summer in may ways; loved ones & friends have gone on before us, my daughter & brother lost their current jobs, another sign of the times in our area. Both of them had worked at their jobs for many years, my daughter at a factory in Sikeston & brother is/was a dialysis nurse at the University Hospital in Columbia. Her job is moving to southern CA, my guess being due to the fact they can pay lower wages & no benefits & brother's job was axed due to a reduction in our state budget. He will be 60 this month, so he has vowed to stay with the state 2 more years in order to get in his 30 years. Most likely, another case of being able to hire new graduates at the bottom of the pay scale. They assigned him to an administrative position & he hates not being able to work with patients. Mom celebrated her 92nd birthday in September. She is growing more frail, is confined to home due to extreme hearing & visual deficits, has to use a walker to get around the house, has skin cancer on her face. Our pastor was re-assigned & our congregation once again had to wait approximately 6 months to see who our newly assigned one would be. And, oh yes, it's election year, such an important, yet stressful, time in our lives. I just can't believe it's always been like this. During this season, I screen every telephone call to make sure it's not a political candidate soliciting.
As the late Jimmy Dean said in the song, "The Farmer & the Lord," you might think I have whining down to a fine art; but let me say this one thing loud & clear, I have been abundantly blessed through it all. My quartet gave me a surprise birthday party that many family & friends attended, several of my "merry widow" friends & myself have been busy on the road attending singings, searching out consignment shops, & other varied activities, Trinity was assigned an awesome new pastor who already has us "up & at 'em", & it rained enough for me to plant a rose bush & tree that I had pampered to keep alive because the ground was too hard to plant them earlier. But, (drum roll), the best surprise of this season was the arrival of a new grandson! He was a total shock to me since he didn't arrive in the usual manner. Loyd is over 40 & Heather is not as young as she was when their first 2 boys arrived. Jake & Joe are now tweens, so I assumed that was it for their family. James was the foster child of a family who attended church with them. I noted one night when the Dexter Senior Choir, of which I am a proud member, sung at St. Joe that Loyd & Heather were entertaining James & I could see their smiles. A short time later, they brought him with them to our family Sunday lunch & made the announcement. A little blonde, curly headed, cutie pie was joining the Rice bunch. Now I have a grandson who is 34 years & James is 17 months with 4 more in between, 1 granddaughter, & 3 greats! My oldest great began kindergarten this year at Dexter. Grandparent's Day was fun. Tanner's teacher was one of those who went to school in Bloomfield during the season I was an employee of my beloved school system. I love my humble attempts to write, a lifelong dream of mine. I'm certainly not a gifted writer, I just enjoy sharing & celebrating with all the awesome folks in the area of the globe I'm blessed to call home. Alan Hedrick has given me this opportunity in the ShowMe Times, an entertaining, informative online source of news & the pictures are fabulous. Jessica Snider, who works for SMT, is "editor" & is doing a great job.
I wish I could report that Imogene is improving health wise, but that is not the case. The top of our pyramid is transitioning & that causes her family stress & heartache during this season of her life. The women of her generation never cease to amaze me. What givers & positive mentors so many of their number have been & continue to be. Mom has worked hard her entire life, & now the ravages of time have caught up with her. Yet she continues to maintain her routine when I can hardly fathom how she can take one more step. She can't read the Bible any more, so I get to read to her & I often think it is a witness to our entire neighborhood since I have to speak so loudly. She reminds me when it's time to pay bills, wants to know the 5 W's (who, what, where, when, why) when I leave the house even though I'm nearing my 7th decade, asks me each Sunday if my bunch was in church & if not, why, & does lots of "wondering why." I am so thankful that she still has the capacity to do as well as she does. She vows she's anxiously awaiting her Master's call, yet she takes care of herself as best she can. I assure her God has such an important purpose for her & He will call her to her final home in His season. So, during this season of such beauty & grandeur, I thank God for the seasons of life, each of them holds it's own lessons in life & living. Winter is coming, but spring follows. May all the seasons that await us be full of love, laughter, thanksgiving, blessings!
Barb
