Winter Walk

Full moon, foggy, lightly snowing, silent, crisp and an amazing night for a walk in the country. Last night about 9 pm LaVern and I bundled up and with Owyn, the fearless Corgi, we went for a long walk down the road. It was such an incredible night for a walk. A few lights shown in the distance from other farms. We walked a couple miles and I hated to come back but another time. I need to write down these simple joys in my journal. Someday maybe the kids will come across them after I am gone and realize the true meaning of joy. Speaking of which, LaVern said that joy is free and that fun cost money! It must be why Take Joy is so important to me. And so my friends I leave you with that, Take Joy.

Libraries

I just love libraries and especially now since most offer "hot spots". I am sitting at the library in Mt. Ayr among all the books and blogging. All I am missing is a nice cup of hot chai tea and then they would have to usher me out at closing! Had several errands to do in town so ventured out. I had to make a list so that I wouldn't forget something. I have a stack of 7 books checked out for weekend reading. No internet at home yet so we usually read by the fire in the evening. Yes, we have electricity for that! Our new inverter should be coming soon and then we will be able to use everything that we would want as far as electrical. I really haven't missed not having it readily at hand. We finished putting up the wood ceiling in the bedroom that will become my "wool room". LaVern is working on the trim around the windows, door and baseboard. I may try to paint the walls tomorrow. The floors are all chipboard so I am going to try to paint, distress and then stain them. Hope the finish is something I can live with and we don't have to go to the expense of wood floors. This morning we chopped wood and then walked down to the well and started it. Chores, as LaVern calls it. The mornings have been beautiful. I love the snow and am going out yet this week to snow shoe. Would post some pictures but we can't find the camera! No clue where it is at so hope it just shows up. In case I don't get back to the blog for a couple days, wish everyone a wonderful, peaceful and healthy new year. TAKE JOY this next year, each and every day!

Goob's Repair

Located in Diagonal, Iowa! Just ordered new tires for the car. They will be in and put on this Thursday. Roads were plowed yesterday so we are out and about. I brought the lap top in and while LaVern was busy ordering the tires I tried to get online. Hooray! Success! I am assuming I am using Goob's internet server! Not sure how much snow we had this last time but Creston, north of us 30 miles, had 10 inches. The wind howled for two days. Lots of drifts at home. Cold, cold temperatures. Well, maybe not like up in Canada but cold for us here. We are working on a wood ceiling in one of the upstairs bedrooms. It goes slow, with lots of breaks, with a hammer and nails. LaVern is really missing his air nailer. We hope to get the other wood stove hooked up in the kitchen in the next week or so. We will use that until we decide on a big cook stove. This is a little wood cookstove but at least it should help heat that huge kitchen area. The sun is shining this morning. Electricity!! We like the sun. Mom is about the same. I will probably go out again after the first of the year for maybe a week. Have been talking to a girlfriend in Kansas daily and she was snowed in as well. It was quite a big storm that went across the plains. LaVern is patiently waiting for me to blog so I best finish up and check emails. Joy.

Headin Home

Sunday........December 20........I am finally headin home! LaVern drove out from Iowa to my brother's in Greeley, CO. He is such a sweetie but also has a sense of humor. It was 8:00 AM in Greeley and I am in my sweats enjoying a cup of coffee and slowly packing. LaVern was to leave Imperial, NE and drive to Greeley so we were expecting him about noon. My cell phone chimed and showed I had a new picture. So I clicked it open.............it was a picture of LaVern's pickup in front of my brother's house. It took me a couple seconds to realize what had actually happened!! I raced outside (barefoot and in my pj sweats) and there he was sitting in the pickup!! Surprise! He couldn't sleep so he got up at 4:00 AM and drove! Wow! 20 days without him has been 20 days too long!! We are now at his mother's in Imperial and will get up early and start heading east. Will stop in McCook and pickup the car. Hate the fact we have to drive separately but at least I will be headin home!! Originally planned to spend a day around Oberlin and go home on Tuesday but weather is saying a big ice storm and snow following beginning on Tuesday so we will scratch that plan and get back tomorrow. I can't wait to enjoy Christmas in our new home. Despite the fact that everything was just unloaded and I left! But you know what, it doesn't matter. LaVern, warm fire in the stove and home is all I need. Might be a bit before I blog again if nasty weather comes in as I still have to drive to Mt Ayr to get Internet.
Mom will be at the care center for at least another month, maybe longer. Depends on the antibiotics working on the bacteria. I think they have finally got her pain somewhat managed. She still has bad nights but at least the pain is alittle more manageable for her. Physical therapy works with her every day also. Her spirits are alittle better so your prayers are working. I spent time with her the last few days reading from the bible, a book of Max Lucado called Fear Not and prayed the rosary with her. Isn't it wonderful the healing power of prayer? I have seen the results!! Thanks again. Love to all.

Home

From Wikipedia; A home is a place of residence or refuge and comfort. It is usually a place in which an individual or family can rest and be able to store personal property. Hmmmm I am thinking that I have not established a home yet, just the address! Over Thanksgiving we moved our personal property, came back to Kansas and closed on our house there. Then I, with a suitcase of clothing, went to my folks' in McCook and LaVern went "home". Now I am in Greeley and certainly feeling displaced at the moment. Although I must admit, being able to use my brother's computer anytime is instant gratification. My mom was transferred to a care facility here in Greeley yesterday. She was wore out by the time they got her settled and went through all the paperwork stuff. Now the difficult rehabilitation days are ahead. I may try to get HOME and take alittle break. Will drive my dad back to McCook for a couple days so that he can pick up his mail and check the house. Get him back here and then figure out the rest. This past month or so feel like I've been going nonstop, maybe even on autopilot as I'm still numb to the fact that I am here and not home. But as LaVern told me, "It's where you are suppose to be". Here is our new address........HOME...
1852 158th Ave, Diagonal, Iowa 50845

Mountain time

I am still running on central time, or at least my body is but am staying in mountain time. So, I am up at 3:00 AM here! Not alot stirring in the house at that time! This morning I opened my window and sucked in the pine smell along with the wood smoke in the air. Just needed that to get energized for the day. There are two kinds of tired. There's "good" tired, and there's "bad" tired. I have put myself in service to my fears and I have ended up "bad" tired. I have let fears manifest and have been feeding them with every thought, until I am drained beyond the point of exhaustion. I "know better" and after a good long talk with Him last night I woke refreshed this morning. TODAY I will find something to love about EVERYTHING I am doing and I will put myself in service to that love. I know that I will still be worn out tonight but it will feel good! Mom is still in the hospital in Ft. Collins and it is tough to see her suffer but she is receiving the best care available. Dad and my brother left this morning to spend time with her. I took a much needed break and will go later. Thank you all for the calls, emails, thoughts and prayers. They have served to keep ME uplifted.

Compassion and Understanding

I am in Ft. Collins, Co. now for all of you who have been wondering why no blogs. I sure didn't think this is where I would be 10 days ago. My mother had been in the hospital in McCook then and got out on December 1st. So, LaVern went on to Iowa and I stayed with the folks to help care for mom. I expected to be there maybe a week or alittle longer. I jokingly told LaVern when he left that I'd see him Christmas when he came back. Mom was home for 7 days and progressively got weaker and then started the fever again. I had to call the ambulance last Tuesday even though they live just two blocks from the hospital. The blizzard was raging that day. Not sure what McCook had but I think 6-8 inches and then the wind. Tuesday night an ambulance took mom to Ft. Collins( a plane could not fly). A snow plow ran in front of the ambulance all the way to the Colorado border. Thank goodness they allowed my dad to ride in the ambulance as I stayed in McCook the night. I was exhausted as mom was up and down all night long for the 7 days. I just was not up to a drive in a blizzard.
Mom is at the Poudre Valley Health Center and what a blessing. Never in my life have I experienced the care she is receiving at this hospital. Every single person, nurses,doctors, staff, even the orderly that took her to her procedures has shown such compassion, love, understanding. I literally feel transformed from this stay. Even my brother has made mention of it. He is a manager for a large company so has hired people for the past 30 years. He said he would like to talk to the person responsible for the hiring program at this hospital. How is he able to interview people and choose the ones that have this healing compassion? My brother said that he can see that they are hired for that over their experience or knowledge. Every person has asked us if we need anything each time they see us. And the care mom is receiving is beyond words. She does need your prayers. She has a nasty bacteria in her blood and is very ill. There is a whole team of doctors who are caring for her. I have no idea how long I will be here or what the future decisions and plans will be. LaVern is holding out on the farm, blizzard and all. He said we had 12 inches of snow there. Our son in Pella, Iowa reported 18 inches at his house. Darn, my snow shoes are in Iowa!!! Love to all. Sorry it took so long to let you know but just got to a computer. I'll try to keep you posted.

The Move

LET'S GET THIS SHOW ON THE ROAD!!

This is us..........upon arrival in Iowa. Don't you love the trailer? LaVern did a great job getting it ready to make the move. No windows in it yet so he just filled them in with plywood. Guess who got to pull this rig down the highway? You should have seen all of the "looks" I got from people! It was a hoot. Talk about a "redneck rig". LaVern is in Iowa now and I am in McCook. Mom just got out of the hospital so I am helping her until she is on her feet again. Busy, busy time.

The uhaul was a 26 footer and LaVern pulled our trailer behind it. Stuff. WAY too much!

Tears

This has been a week of tears. We made the big move over Thanksgiving and are back in Oberlin to finalize everything, loaded the trailer one more time and cleaned the buildings. Several people came by to say goodbye and tears were flowing. I hope they were all tears of joy! It got me to thinking about the tears and I wondered what was said about them in the bible. There are, I think, 697 references to tears, weeping, crying. Amazing. I had no idea. Alot of the tears mentioned in the bible were of grief and repentance. But then I am reminded that God is called "Comforter" for a reason. His motherly hand will wipe all the tears away. The tears will go away but I am not! It's all just geography, my friends. With this blog, email, cell phones.......I'm close by.
Take peace.