We Lost a Dear Friend Today...

Solemn news this morning... Steve's first boss passed away. He was not only a boss, but a very dear friend; one we found when we moved far away from our families, he took us in as his own. We had holiday meals with his family and shared many years of fun and laughter with him and his wife, Bertha.

When we went to Louisiana a couple of months ago, Bertha and Paul were some of the 'firsts' on our lists of people to visit.  You know, their age was up there and time was running out.  They have been very near and dear to our hearts for many years. Paul has been taking care of Bertha who has been an invalid for many years; bathing, caring, feeding, carrying, bedding and loving Bertha.

Paul passed away in his sleep overnight.  No suffering, just fell asleep and didn't wake up.  He left behind Bertha, his very best friend for 65+ years.  Can you say a few prayers for Bertha?

Here is a picture of us all together; Steve, Lindel (another one of Steve's co-workers and dear friends), Edith, with Paul and Bertha this last May. All treasured friends. 

May you rest in peace, Paul.  We're gonna miss you.

Congratulations! It's A...

BOY!

We have officially identified the family 'jewels'!  


Steve has officially named our little man ('cause he is kinda little right now) "T-Bone":

And I have officially determined that the saying is true - "If moma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!"  

She doesn't look happy, does she?

Moma and baby are doing great - and would probably be doing even better if granny was not 'justa clickin'.

A New Family Member - A CALF!!

Remember Bertha?  The one we said was so HUGE?  She was further along than our other cows - she had a calf last night!  Steve went out to feed my chickens and checked on the cattle.  He found an extra set of legs climbing over the wood pile. He initially thought it was a dog, but when he looked closer - it was a new calf.  We are grandmooparents!  YIPPEE!

Here - we think it is a boy, but we are not yet sure.  Check 'him' out!

What a way to end the first week of retirement!


How is that going?  LOTS OF PAPERWORK, setting up a new computer, PAPERWORK, financial crap, PAPERWORK, Facebooking, and more paperwork.

I have been pondering why it doesn't feel 'real' to me...

Then I realized that Steve was there for all the chitter chatter about retiring with his buddies...

And he was the one that received, read through and turned in the retirement paperwork...

He was there for the last day and the chitter chatter with fellow workers...

And he is the one that has fielded all the "RETIRED!" phone calls... 

He is the one that has been congratulated over and over... 

He is the one that can now sleep in and not race to work every day... 


And what happened in my life?

Nothing has changed!

No celebration...

No trip....

No vacation to enjoy retirement... 

Not even a date night...

No big "HALLELUJAH!!" 

Nada...


Nothing in my life has changed.


Except he doesn't go to work.

Now I understand the anticlimax... 

My disassociation with his retirement...


I thought there would be a weeks worth of celebration of one sort or another!

But

Nothing in my life has changed.  

POOT!


EXCEPT  we have a baby calf to enjoy!  

Steve is RETIRED!

It is official! Steve is retired!

As of TODAY!


WHOOT!

Now you know why the "lots of changes"!

Here we go!!

Casserole Carriers

For Christmas, I have started making gifts.  I just don't like going into a store to purchase gifts, I don't like shopping, and I certainly don't like the commercialism that goes with Christmas.  Mostly, I don't like how impersonal I feel giving those gifts.  I don't think it is the actual gift, but more the frantic pace shopping is, with commercialism gone wild and the gluttonous baskets filled to the brim with crap people don't care to give or receive.  

Christmas is not about that at all.  Yes, we all know Christmas is about Jesus' birth.  A precious little baby born to the world... a child that was given to us to save us, to open our hearts and minds to others, to share the beauty of life and to teach us to bestow blessings on others.

Sometime years ago, it became a holiday about gift giving.  I think at the time it was meant to be a holiday of 'giving'... giving from the heart about those you cared deeply about.  Little treasures that were meant only for you... tiny nothings that just let others know you were important in their lives.  Treasures you held dear to your heart because they were tiny gifts of love that meant you were someone special to another person.  Treasures. Truly gifts.

Later some 'genius'  decided it was about SELLING.  MONEY EARNING.  Fill the consumer's basket, frantically get everything the child desires.  EVERYthing the child desires. Toss crap at people they don't want or need.  Anything and everything sold to fulfill commercialism's dreams.  Things invented that make you shake your head.  Encourage frantic shoppers!  Isles and isles of crap to take your money... and PEOPLE GIVE THEIR MONEY!  That is what I don't get... WHY do people spend so stinking much MONEY at Christmas??

Something was lost along the way... People lost it.  They lost the meaning of what Christmas is meant to be; about the gift of love;  that someone special who made your life worth living, someone showing appreciation that they ARE in your life and that you are a gift to them.  One that moves your heart and lets you know how important you are to another.  Christmas is about love.


So, I have decided that my future gifts will be about love.  Hand chosen for each person, and made just for them.  I started a bit late this year and didn't get all my gifts made, but next year I will be better.  I have already started!  What did I make this year?  I made casserole carriers!  WHEW!  Did I overbite... lol... but I did get a few done and given away.  What a work of love!

Here is what one looks like:  

If you didn't get one, I am sorry.  It was not because I didn't think of you; it was because I refused to buy something that meant nothing to you or I, and it was because I started too late and got too few made.

If you are reading this, I love you.  You mean the world to me.  And you know I am awful at time management and I promise to get better.  I thought about you long and hard and how I was disappointing myself because I didn't get just one more made.  Yours.

You are special to me and I love you for loving me. 

Garth!!

 What can I say?  Garth was AWESOME!

Trisha was just as awesome!

Together, they are incredible!

And very much in love:

The concert was energizing!

He cried when he sang "The Dance":

He praised God and was baffled so many people loved him!

I enjoyed it tremendously - and I am still well!


And I think Steve even enjoyed it!

And we didn't spend the day looking at his butt!

Garth was worth it.  I love that man!

Almost as much as I love mine!

*Almost*

But mine is MINE!  And I wouldn't trade him for Garth - but Garth... Yeah, worth going to see!

I've Slept With Thieves...

I have slept with thieves (essential oils) and sprayed with Halo... Here's hopin' the decision to see Garth isn't the worst decision I have ever made. 

Wish me luck!

Here goes nuttin'!