grammas and grampas: all great

Gramma wouldn't even let me do the dishes after supper. I stood at the sink ready to fill it with sudsy water, but she demanded I come sit back down at the table. I complied.

Dad ended up doing the dishes.

And watching my baby all weekend long so I could coach the swimmers at the meet.

Gramma and Grampa cooked a feast for breakfast as well. I savored my grapefruit, pancakes (with apple topping AND syrup), sausage, banana, and 2% milk. I felt like royalty.

They gave us a sackful, a bulging sackful, of potatoes and onions from their glorious garden.

As if all that wasn't quite enough, what sealed the deal was the surprise bottle of raspberries I found as I was unpacking our stuff last night.

I'm spoiled. Really. I'm so blessed I feel I can't return proper or adequate thanks.

By their fruits ye shall know them.

They are so good to me. Sounds like a primary song, no?

A bottle of raspberries. A tall cool jar full of the most delicious taste; it takes me straight back to Gramma Roth's kitchen. And then to her cellar. I miss her. I wish I could still go visit her and sit on her porch, made warm by the afternoon sun. I wish I could hug her and feel her arm around my waist.

I enjoyed a treat last night. I poured a mugful of those raspberries, along with the sweet red juice, and paired it with a graham cracker. Savored every bite.

Thanks for the lovely weekend, Gramma, Grampa, and Pa. Hoping to return thanks in some way by striving to possess as much goodness as you.

book report

One of my favorite people and teachers, Chris Crowe, recommended A Monster Calls to me. I bought it off Amazon using the gift card Rachel and Ryan gave me (thanks guys!).

About this book:

Wow.

It hit very close to home. I know that's a cliche of an idiom, but really, with Tawna not doing very well and having digressed so quickly the last few months, it made me think even deeper and harder about life, death, meaning, love, letting go, and many other things.

I loved the book. To me it's very touching in an almost disturbing way--a way I needed at this very moment in my life.

The art is stunning.

Image found here.

"The New York Times" review may be found here.

today

I miss writing here, in this space. Lots has happened the last two years of my life and that whirlwind, many parts good and a few parts hard, has swept me away from here. For some reason I also shy away from writing about what my life is now. But I'm going to try to get over that and post what I feel like posting and if it's too much of Eamon then that's just too bad because I spend most of my time with him and most of that time is glorious. He really is my sunshine, though sometimes he morphs into a bath monster, as evidenced below.


Today I'm grateful for: Andrew, Eamon, family, friends, my jogging stroller, sleep, food, my job, scriptures, our own little corner in the world, walks, snow, warm showers, prayer, family night, games, hot dog boats, and books.