Ready or Not, Here it Comes!

These two beautiful people are going to be parents.

Forty Seven years ago, Sharon Anne delivered her first child (Dawn) at age 22.
Twenty four years ago, Dawn delivered her first child at age 22.
Twenty two years ago, Diana, the 2nd child of Sharon, and little sister of Dawn, delivered her first child (Josh) at age 22 (who happened to be born on 2/22, Diana's 2nd wedding anniversary).
Twenty two years later, Josh will deliver (ok, maybe he'll just catch) his first child at age 22.
Skye, the beautiful mother, will also be age 22.

Life In Laramie

As much as I remember - or at least think I remember, I forget what Laramie is like. I've been here in the summers over the past seven years, which is when the student are gone. Maybe I should go bar hopping on Friday night, just to get a hard core reminder of what life was like here. There is always a festive air during July when we're here for Jubilee Days, but we really don't spend anytime in town beyond a couple of nights. Other than that we're up at the cabin.

This year we came in September, and school was back in session, but we did our usual 'hit and run,' of the town, spending the majority of our time at the cabin. Granted, this trip I haven't spent much time around town yet - I only arrived at 6 and it's now just barely 8. I went direct to the hospital to see my mom. She's why I came this trip. "Pulmonary Hypertension" means the blood pressure in her heart and lungs (and the artery between them) is far too high. Lethally high. They're amazed she didn't die yesterday, the oxygen in her blood was. But, by His Grace she is alive for me to come see.

If she weren't doing as well as she is, I don't think I could be as light hearted about being here. But she is doing well. At least for now. Which brings me back to my initial statement "I forget what Laramie is like." I came into town and went directly to the hospital. I didn't know where to park, which I thought was weird. I figured it out and went inside. As I mentioned, it was about 6, but the front lobby was all closed down, nobody was anywhere to be found. This means I got to find the elevators all by my bitty self (how hard can it be?)

So up to the 3rd floor I go. Off the elevator there is no signage as to which rooms are which direction, and all hallways are deserted. I bravely head left down a dark hall. I'm instantly time warped. Wrrrrp .... wrrrp .... I wish I could spell sound effects as well as I make them Wrrrrp ... I haven't been in this hospital in nearly 22 years (This coming Sunday, Feb 22, will be precisely 22 years since I was here, when my little Joshy was born in 1987). But I remembered the halls. It was as nothing had changed. And then again, wrrrp ... back 14 years before that to 1973. I was in this same hospital, maybe even the same hallway, when I had my tonsils out. There is the library where I got books to take back to my room. wrrrp

I didn't stay long, mom was tired so left her to sleep and I headed to her house. Driving the dark streets, it could be 1982 all over again. Or maybe 1980. The most recent snow hasn't melted yet. There's still a scrape of ice on all the roads, and the curbs and gutters are full of plow remnants. I didn't have the time warp feeling, but I do remember running across campus in the cold of winter, tripping and falling and cutting my noggin open on the ice in the gutter.

I stopped at The Ranger Liquor Mart for some beer. A car pulled through the lot as I was walking to the door. The car didn't slow down or wait for me, so I wisely stopped in my pedestrian tracks and waited for it to pass. Pulling up to the drive-up window (liquor stores have drive up windows in Wyoming) the much rushed driver orders "Give me a half pint bottle of the cheapest vodka you have." (I'm thinking it's a good thing I waited for her to pass in the parking lot, she probably would have ran me down). By then I'd entered the store and heard the clerk tell her "We're all out of half pint vodka." She drove off empty handed, none-too-happy.

2009 --> 1987 --> 1980 --> 1973 Time stands still in Laramie Wyoming. Yet time marches on. My mom ages. One day I won't be able to come here to visit, because she won't be here. But in Laramie time stands still. The names of the people change, and in a paradox time stands still as it marches along.

Positive Post Tuesday

Remember that poem, about people touching our lives? Well it's true in reverse too. Other people see us and we affect them. Unknowingly we send messages about ourselves and who we are, and what's important to us. It's a matter of how we live our lives.

Yeah yeah, blah blah blah. This is true of course, but it's not often we get the opportunity to see or hear how another person has seen us. Sure, our friends like us for who we are, but what about those other people who are on the fringe of our lives? I've been blessed this past week to have an old High School acquaintance say something really nice about me. I'm tempted to post what he said about me, because it was so kind. But I'm not going too, because I don't want to toot my own horn. Ron tooted my horn and I'm just going to let those kind words glow inside me. It's great that what he saw in me, is what I want people to see in me. I have succeeded in that!

But you should go check out Ron's blog, Wings Over Wisconsin. He's taking flying lessons and has chronicled his journey.

As this blog chronicles my life journey.

Whata weekend ...
Ok, so here's my bulleted list of randomness:

• We demolished the kitchen. Granted, it looked pretty bad before we even started (duct tape on the floor) but it's totally gutted now.
• Before the gutting was complete, I stood on the counters trying to wash the walls. I have always grabbed the bottom edge of the counter, to help pull myself up onto the counter. Having learned how easy it is to just yank the cabinet faces off, I'm just dang lucky that I'd never accidentally pulled them off! (and those walls are YUCK!)
  
• Mark paints the walls tomorrow. Alison and I went and bought some very pretty brown paint for the big wall and behind where the stove will go. We got a lighter color for the ceiling and half wall and sliding glass door wall. My FaceBook account has a photo journal of sorts. (demolition so far)

It's been a long day. I'm tired. (destruction is hard work!

Where to go and what to do ...

There's a question for you ... But who can answer it?

I've spent this morning reading blogs and the Bible and listening to a sermon or two, and talking to God. In all of this, I've come up with a list of random answers. Kinda. Sorta. Maybe not.

1. I'm going to build myself a motivational 'vision board' as explained by Cathy. I've been inspired. I have goals, and I tend to forget about striving to achieve them. So I'm going to make this board and stick it in my face to remind me. And I'm going to work towards achieving them.
   
   
2. I have recurring frustration in a certain area of my life. I'd already come to the decision to give it to God every time it comes up, but today I read something that reminds me that each time I give it back to Him, that I also say a prayer of forgiveness. My frustration and resentment only eats at me, and I need to forgive the source. Luke 6:28. The big kicker is that the source of my frustration has no idea they are the source. So why do I continue to carry it?
   
   
   
   
3. On the same note as above, I re-listened to Pete Wilson's sermon on Forgiveness (in the Baggage series). And I took notes. Forgiveness is not condoning, excusing or reconciling. It simply frees my spirit by letting go of my 'right' or desire to hurt them back.
   
   
4. I am moving on.

Positive Post Tuesday

As previously mentioned, we are in Canton Ohio this week getting to know our new coworker team mates. Jackie has a love of horses and she happens to actually OWN a horse. Ace lives at Dave and Tracy's barn, and Dave is one of our coworker team mates too. It's really awesome to get to work with these guys, and even more awesome that they've shared their love of horses with Sarah and I (Stoney is a big fat fraidy cat). Ace has been a bit stuborn for Jackie lately, tonight he did not want to walk forward. I got a couple of pictures of them together. In this first one Jackie has a little bit of a smile on her face, not sure why cause Ace had only stepped one step forward. None of the pictures I took on my phone actually show the breath teaming from our faces, or the horses faces, but it was a bit nippy out there tonight. All the same, we had a great time. I haven't been on a horse in 13 years now, not since Chuck and I rode in New Zealand. Sarah has been around horses in her live, but has never been on one. Tonight was her lucky night.

She and I both rode Matahute (remember that name from "The Rescuers Down Under?" (I don't, but Sarah did). Anywhoots, Matahute was just a sweet girl and very tolerant rusty experience and a sweetheart to ride.
Fun times. (I can tell I've been spending a lot of time with Sarah, cause that's her line)

Sunday's Randomness

My boss, Sarah and I are in Canton Ohio for a week. We're meeting up with the rest of the crew, our families are 'melding' into one. Much enthusiasm in this trip! Here's a brief photo journal of our three legs to get here.

Rising well before dawn, our flight left Reno at 6:05. The first leg, Stoney and I sat in one row (with Sarah across the aisle cause it was a 2 x 2 small puddle jumper prop plane). This is when I took the picture of the sunrise.At LAX we had to rush to the connection. What a pain. The 2nd leg, the long flight, Stoney got stuck in the back of the plane, and Sarah and I played cards.

The short 3rd leg, Stoney was in row 4, I was in row 10 and Sarah was in row 12, which happened to be the last row on the plane. Another puddle jumper but at least it was a jet.
That's where the moon rise picture was taken. Kind of a poor quality picture that I've not been able to improve much in Photoshop. But it was really cool seeing the moon peak through the cloud cover contrast against the wing tip. Airline was NorthWest, thus the red tip.
Arriving in Akron/Canton about a quarter til 7 (4 at home) we'd been at it for 12 hours. After getting ourselves to the hotel (LOVE MY iPHONE and Google Maps!) we settled in and got some food. Now Sarah and I are chillin and catching up with all our stuff.

I have more pictures up on my Facebook, if anyone wants to go peak at them.