A Good Day

Tomorrow morning it will be two weeks. It seems like yesterday in some ways, but in others it seems like a lifetime. And today was a good day!

• I didn't feel quite as ill as I have the last two weeks
• I didn't forget to go to an appointment
• I didn't go to far off task (well OK maybe that's not true)
• I did till in the garden
• I did feel like I accomplished some things (even if the list doesn't have many check marks)
• I did feel the continual love of friends as they stopped by :)
• I know that there will still be very dark days
• I know that Nolan was a huge part of my good day (he worked hard on a little garden, picture below)
• I know that keeping busy and physical exercise are the best medicine



A little memory garden ... IGNORE the garage, it is going to get painted.
This is Nolan's handiwork!



A dear and valued friend shared this with me a week and a half ago ... "Shine in me, Shine on me, but most important Lord, Shine through me!" I've hung onto those words with a doubled fist as I've questions God, questioned faith, sat through a sermon on Sunday about praying with purpose, praying fervently ... and today, well today I felt the Son shine on me, in me, and I hope through me.

Until soon,



Vic

A New Normal

Oh goodness ... one never knows the road set before us, and I certainly never thought I'd be on this path. My faithful readers (yes, all four of you readers) my goal of this blog, is perhaps journal like, filled with quilting, fun, kids, and life. Life isn't always quarter inch seams and family success. As you all know, our hearts took a screeching halt two weeks ago tomorrow. My kind and sweet husband died of a tragic accident. A dear friend wrote a note to my kids and described the past weeks very poignantly, "The moment that time stood still." That moment was more than a week and now we begin a new moment.

In that moment, when Doug reached for Jesus' hand, we, my kids and I, began our own kind of hell. The emotions of disbelief, anger, and denial ran smack dab into sadness, and the inability to understand the overwhelming generosity of a community who surrounded us and held us at our weakest moments. When I've spoke with others who have lost loved ones, for me a spouse, I would say, "I can only imagine ... " Wrong, I never imagined "this"!

Words cannot begin to express the gratitude and appreciation that we have for whatever deed you rendered to our family. From those first horrible minutes to offers of help and assistance in the future ... every step of the way we have felt your love, friendship, guidance and support. We have had kitchen fairies, tissue holders, water fetchers, food bearers, crying buddies, dog washers, dog walkers and runners, gutter cleaners, garden hoers, idle chatters, hug givers and support to stand and walk. How can we ever thank you ... each and every one of you for support, cards, gifts, flowers and food. My daughter said we must pay it forward in whatever small and minute way we can. So pay it forward we will try.

Until soon,
vic

I'm Back

I wonder how many times in the life of this blog I will say, "I'm Back" ... I think I've said it a time or two already ... I'm positive I'll say it a time or two again ... I have good intentions, I enjoy writing, I even have some great ideas. I do think one might diagnose my probelm as "Execution"!

So my excuse this time is just plain busy with the kids.

We got Brandon and Blair moved into their new home, what a lovely home it will be. It has four bedrooms, lots of space, a nice yard and it will be a wonderful place to start their life together.

Graduation weekend ... the pictures below are a few snapshots from Nolan's graduation from Simpson College, April 28, 2012. Grandpa, Aunt Deb and Barb drove down; Brandon (minus Blair, she was maid of honor in a wedding) came from Omaha, and April came up from KC. What a great weekend we had.

Friday night after Baccalaureate we went to "Pete's" for beer and pizza with Cheryl and Kevin Halterman ... two amazing people that have been a home away from home for my kids, while at Simpson. We wandered over to the Zoo for an evening of laughter with Marky and Kinger ... Mark Phillips and Ryan King, Simpson Alum with April. Lots of Nolan's friends joined us throughout the day.
Saturday morning came early ... we were dressed and ready at 9ish. Nolan was number 388 out of 389 graduates of 2012. The speaker was amazing, Suku Radia, a banker from Des Moines, he did a truly amazing job ... I honestly still think about his message. We went to the SAE house where they hosted a lovely lunch for the graduates and family members. Some headed north, some had naps, some went shopping a little bit, and Brandon shot back to Omaha to attend the wedding.
We spent Saturday evening with the True Gentlemen of SAE celebrating the graduation of of 10 seniors. Kyle Steffen's family were amazing hosts for the evening. What a great way to end our weekend of festivities. I will miss hanging out with the boys, hearing their stories, and truly feel blessed to have gotten to know such amazing men.



The senior, graduating True Gentlemen from SAE, Simpson Collge, April 28, 2012.
From the left, across the front: Phil Seiwert (Dr. Phil), Christian Samuelson (Slim), Kyle Steffen, Derrick Rogers (DRog), and Chris Allen (RayRay). In back, from the left, Tyson Wirtz, Nolan, Grant Grodahl, Derek Haugland (DH).

The last four are some snapshots of the '05 Alum and the new '12 Alum! What a wonderful weekend!