A Night of Celebration

Today is Patti's birthday. Isn't she lovely? This is what she wore (or should I say how Jim dressed her up) last night for her birthday party. It was a fun evening of celebrating birthdays (Jim and Patti's--both), and "Christmas Eve" for all of us!

Okay, now we can get on with the wedding!

Merry Christmas!

Is it Christmas Eve yet?
Sort of...at our house...
Tonight we will will celebrate Jim and Patti's birthdays (Patti's is Dec. 22nd; Jim's is Dec. 30th), and we will open our Christmas presents together. Tomorrow morning they will begin their drive to California, beginning their journey as two single individuals, and eventually returning to Portland as newlyweds (their wedding is Dec. 29th).

We will fly to San Diego on Christmas morning and spend the afternoon with Patti's family. On Christmas night our daughter's family will arrive in San Diego also. From that point on, other family members and friends will be arriving for the wedding. What a grand celebration and reunion it will be! What a way to draw 2007 to a close! What a way for Jim and Patti to begin the new year -- as husband and wife!

Tonight we celebrate Christmas. Next weekend we celebrate the joyous wedding of our son and soon-to-be new daughter! Let the celebrations begin!

Four years ago . . .

Today I am back in Montana--in my memories. It seems like it was only yesterday, but it was actually four years ago today that my mom went home to be with the Lord.

While we were in Montana last week, I couldn't help but think back to the same time and place four years ago. We traveled there at the same time of year, across the same snowy mountain passes, and stayed in the same place--the home of our friends, Louis and Cary. This time they were gone and we were caretakers of their place and their animals--three horses, six sheep, two dogs (Golden Retrievers), one cat, and one bird.

Our trip of last week was for another funeral--the "home-going" of another mother. We buried our son-in-law Andy's mother just three days before the date we drove to Montana four years ago, for my own mother's death. Four years ago my daughter traveled with us from her home near us in Vancouver, Washington, to say her final goodbyes to her grandmother. This time we traveled to our daughter's home in Montana to join her in saying our final goodbyes to her "other mother". Four years ago our granddaughter Elliana went with us to pour out comfort upon my dad, her great grandfather. This time she was already there to pour out her comfort upon her grandfather, Andy's dad.

Both times were joyous family reunions, filled with tears of loss and grief, and hugs of comfort. The Bible tells us that when God's children are absent from the body, they are present with the Lord. What a blessing to know that these two dearly-loved mothers are "at home" with our Lord and Savior." We look forward to being reunited with them some day in Heaven.

"And, so shall we ever be with the Lord."

My Mom (and Dad) - Their Wedding Picture

Back at Home

It was a wonderful, sad, sweet, fun, tearful, beautiful, memorable week in Montana with family and friends from all over: California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and Montana. Today my heart is still full of the sights and sounds of a bittersweet reunion for the purpose of a final farewell to one so dear to all of us. It still doesn't seem real that she is gone from our lives.

My son-in-law's mother (like a dearly-loved sister to me) filled our lives with grace and sweetness, fun and quiet laughter, inspiration and hope, peace and joy, dignity and poise, and, above all, the beauty of Jesus so alive within her and flowing out to all who knew her. She is now with the One who filled her life and enabled her to reflect Him to all around her. She seemed to love everyone and everything around her. We all felt special to her.

It makes no sense to us left behind, that God would call her home now. Perhaps, she had successfully completed her course of life, and God said to her, "Well done, my good and faithful servant. Now it's time for you to enter your well-deserved rest."

We will miss her greatly.