Who am I ?

Genealogy has been something I've toyed with occassionally. I don't have time to devote to it but I believe when I retire I will definitely look into making a big plunge.


Recently, I've discovered some long lost relatives but they don't seem to want to know me so I will keep plugging away. I may possibly be related to King Henry the IV on my maternal side. If I can prove it I shall start calling myself Queenie... nice ring!

My paternal grandfather was very interested in genealogy and he had a lot of information that sat around and not until after his death did anything get done with it. My dad's oldest brother put together a family history of sorts and now my dad's sister, who lives in Switzerland, is putting together all kinds of great information and stories of long ago. She's very devoted to this art of finding out who "we" are. I love her and admire her tenacity. She gets the job done that is for sure.

I'm going to start putting together all that I have for now so that my children can begin to understand who and where we all came from and what makes us who we are! It's an exciting journey and I hope to post more soon - at least after the holidays; who knows I could be related to YOU!

Hang in there friends and foes... whoever you are... take it one day at a time...

Will You Remember Me Tomorrow?

I am the product of two people who met in the 1950's. And now I'm ghastly aware of how fast my life has passed by. Ironically, I couldn't wait to grow up and get married and have a family of my own. Now that I have done all that I'm now wanting time to slow down so I can enjoy the fruits of my "labor", aka grandchildren. In the midst of all the fun of spending time with my grandchildren I am also trying to hold onto the years I have left with my parents before they are gone from my siblings and I.
My father has dementia/alzheimer's - you probably know somebody whose had to deal with this kind of disease. It's hard. Very hard to not lose patience or self control. And I'm not the the main caretaker. My mother has had the role reversal of her life as his caretaker. I'd like to say I share in that responsibility with my sister and brothers. But we really don't have a clue as to what it takes to take care of Dad like mom does. He always took care of everything from paying bills to making major purchases to planning their lives out through the so called golden years. Little did I know this man I lovingly call "Dad" would end up needing mom and my siblings and I more than he could ever imagine.

I have twin brothers who have lived in Texas for most of their adult life raising families of their own. They get to see the changes in dad more drastically than my sister and I because we see dad most every week and have seen his progression into the disease at all stages. They recently came home to Indiana to visit with mom and dad. The sad part of this is dad doesn't recall any of their time spent with him. His short term memory is now no memory of daily life. He'll never remember anymore birthday celebrations, grandchildren sitting on his lap, kisses or hugs, funny stories shared, dinners together, conversations, Christmas', no he'll never have those memories again...

I try to help my mom out as much as I can while still having to work 40 hrs a week and keep up my own little corner of the world. Luckily they only live about three miles from me and I can make quick trips over to their home when mom needs me at a moments notice. And I've had to go and rescue her from her own sanity at times by getting dad out of the house and bringing him to my home for a few hours while mom has a little time to herself. I jokingly tell my husband I hope he is taking notes...

My hope for my father, knowing he will never get better because of this disease, is that he will leave this place with most of his mind still intact. He still calls me by name which I know could change on a dime. Mom told me he's had two instances in the past week when he's awoken from a nap and didn't know who she was...

I know dad is in the beginning of the latter stages of alzheimers. But you know what? Once in awhile my dad will be himself for just a moment and say something to me that only dad would say and I feel on top of the world because I know my dad is still in there somewhere. Most of the time he doesn't talk, he just sits there and I wonder what is going on in his head? How confused must he really feel as he looks around and isn't sure who is sitting across the table from him or why his house doesn't look like the house he remembers years ago with little children running around asking him to please come outside and play baseball. He will get up in the middle of the night and ask mom where the babies are... she has to gently remind him that we are all grown up and live in our own houses. She gently leads him back to bed and tells him to go to sleep... tell me dad, will you remember me tomorrow?

Sunday is Palm Sunday. Go to church and remember why Jesus died for you and I.

April Brings...

A new baby into our family is what the first day of April brought to us! Zayne Devere arrived at five pounds and two ounces. His length was 16 1/2". He was four weeks premature due to momma's placenta previa. A few days later he had one of his little lungs collapse. The doctors moved swiftly and put a breathing tube into each lung to begin a process of restoration to his lungs. Things are looking up thanks to many people sending prayers upward to the heavens and asking God to keep his eye on this little sparrow.

My only wish is that all of this had taken place here back where they were living near us. But my daughter-in-law felt a need to move back to California where she is from. And this is without my son. So my (now 3) grandchildren from this marriage will be tossed around between states. I pray that God will reconcile the two adults and make them realize they can get through the things that have driven them apart. I've been there in my marriage and look at me now - thank you Jesus! It's the hard work that gives you a sense of a strong marriage when you can look back at those hard times and what you had to do - both of you - to make it work. God doesn't tell us we will have bliss our entire marriage, no, quite contrary he tell us we will have dark times but when they come He will be there to pull us out of the ashes and into the light!

We learn so much through those times. I think this is a learning time for my son.

Thank you Jesus for all that you've done, are doing, and will do again in my life.

Thank you Jesus for wonderful and loving friends who pray and love you up in the middle of a personal crisis. My wonderful church family did this for me today. But I learned a great lesson that I thought I really understood but didn't until this day. Even those of us with great faith need the strength of others to build us up from time to time. And my faith needed building up today and it received much love and mercy from others because I had the courage to tell others what I've been going through with my son and his wife. I guess I'm allowed to feel discouraged, right? I'm only human afterall.
I will think on this day again when I need to remember that I'm loved not only by my family but by my church family too because they are who God has blessed me with in my life to lean on when troubled waters come pouring down. Thank you, Lord. Thank you.

Press On-Selah

When I am feeling down this is the song I can relate to. And God is there holding me like the lyrics of this song; I will Press On one day at a time.

ANOTHER HALLELUJAH -- LINCOLN BREWSTER TRIBUTE TO JIM ELLIOT

I love this song. Enjoy - I hope the Geico commerical doesn't throw you off. Get past it and enjoy this very lovely melody... I did.