Gabriel is welding tonight

I cannot remember the last time a thunderstorm had so much flashing and drama!
We watched it from a distance when there was no sound or rain...then suddenly it was over and all around us. The pattering of rain now falling, and increasing, and sudden clashes of cymbals, such magnificence! It seemed as though the angel Gabriel himself was welding and sparks were all around. I wonder what incredible sculpture Gabriel could make. I am so grateful of this glimpse of God's power and majesty. This was our ringside seat from our back patio, enjoy!

A busy weekend

Saturday was spent getting canvases ready for Sunday. There is more detail about that painting event on my art blog. What you won't see there though, was the yellow paint disaster in my trunk! Yep, a gallon of yellow paint spilled in the trunk of the car as I was on my way home. The smell was horrible! I got home while Phil was fixing dinner (Steak, okra and potatoes-Yummy) so he said "Boys, go help your mom". Fortunately both Shane and Daniel cheerfully helped get all of the other cans out and managed to get the carpet thrown away. Thanks guys. The best part of the day was sitting down and having dinner with our handsome young men.

Sunday morning was spent at church, painting in all three services. Jenn, Donald and Shelby joined us for lunch and they brought a guest, their new puppy Rosie. What a cutie-pie. Jenn baked cookies for me while I rested a bit and played with Shelby. After lunch Jenn begged, yes indeed begged to have her hair cut. She wanted it much shorter. Phil was trying to take a nap but Shelby was sprawled in his lap and she was snorting while Donald and Rosie were crashed and Donald was snoring. All in all it was quite loud as I cut about a 1 1/2 feet of hair off of Jenn. Later after she woke up I gave Shelby her first trim. We did just the bangs. Both girls are a bit lighter.

Later Phil and I went to Tammy's house to join others from our Vocal Arts Ministry for a time of food and fellowship. The kids went swimming (I am counting Jim, Ted and Larry in that category) while the rest of us talked. Tammy fixed turkey which she bravely asked David to cut.

We had a great time, thanks Tammy. I was exausted so we went home and watched a little of the closing ceremony for the Olympics, then finally some shut eye.

A Weekend alone

Daniel went to Florida to spend the weekend with a friend. We had the house to ourselves!
Saturday we made waffles together and Phil had a surprise set up for us in the afternoon - massages! What a nice treat!

On Sunday morning we decided we would go to church later in the afternoon and Phil suggested that we go to an early movie. We saw The Mummy, which was fun, but not quite the same without Rachel Weiz as Evie.

Phil did his usual workout while I finally started my painting of Matthew Fleming. I had no idea how hard it would be to work on a portrait of someone who is no longer with us. Prayers were lifted and memories flood every stroke. If you want to see the progress of the painting it will be on my art blog.

While I was praying for Michelle and Mark and their family for their loss, otheres were brought to mind as well to lift up to our great and Awesome God. Al-Health, Barb-Health, Tanya-Job, Gerry-Health, Lena-Loss of her brother, Maryann-Health, Amy-Finances, Cheryl-Home, Nancy-Family, Eric-Recovery, Greg-Health, Phil-Work, Janice-Work. As the great hymn of old says, "What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer".

A Full Moon

A Visit to Jenn's House

Friday was my normal "Day with Shelby" but Jenn had the day off and invited me to their house. The drive wasn't that bad and we had a good time cleaning and organizing a few things in their new home. Lists were started, Shelby napped and Jenn and I had a good Mother-Daughter time together. Later when Shelby woke up we went to lunch at Chile's. Jenn enjoyed dessert and Shelby enjoyed having a, kick back with her feet up meal, while lounging on Nana.

Later we went to Target to get a few items; table cloth, decorative center, candles.

My dear friend Sharon Stoops and our "Class Distraction" Bill Turner. I have about a dozen photo's with different people on Bill's lap, but I will save that for the class website. Sharon's family and my other dear friend Karla and her mom "shared" me after my parents moved to Phoenix in the middle of my Senior year. That was the only way for me to graduate with friends.

Mrs "Williams" (at the time) was my music teacher and a great inspiration to me. She had a bit of a soft spot for our class since her daughter Staci Johnson was in it. We had fun swapping stories during the evening. She was thrilled that I taught children's choir for so many years.

Dave Packbush and his lovely wife Shirley. We were buddies along with a group of guys I hung out with my Junior year. .

Peri Miller and I became friends when we both discovered it was our first day at a new school-in the first class. She looks the same as she did back then.

Greg Hughes and his wife Barbara. Greg was my High School Sweetheart. He's a grandparent to two little girls too. What fun it was to see him after all these years.

Re-union the big 3-0

Hard for me to believe but it has been 30 years since I graduated from Flagstaff High School (Go Eagles!). Phil and I have attended each reunion, the 10, 20 and now the 30. During both the Friday and Saturday event I was struck by not only our physical changes, but our changes in how we interact with each other. Hugs were given and received for no other reason than to say how glad we were together; it didn't even matter that 30 years ago we didn't have a class or spent time together.

Comparing the reunions was fun. At the 10 year reunion most of us had married, found a career path and had young children. Stories at that reunion still had some of the social standings interlaced, and there was still competitiveness somewhat in where you lived or what you were doing.

As the 20 rolled around, perspective in the stories seemed to change; they were less edgy and less judgemental focusing more on the goofy things that we did. By this time we had lost some class members to death, incarceration or just didn't know where they went. This was our class reminder that our journey is indeed finite.

30 years and it went by so quickly. We don't look the same as we were young, our experience shows through the lines on our faces, the extra pounds that we carry and a few carry the same vices they had in High School. There were some people that you could tell by just looking at them that life for them had grown in a good way, they were content, they were happy. Others showed that perhaps they wished they had taken a different turn at some point and held on to some regrets. Photos were shared by passing around camera phones and consisted of grown children and in some cases grandchildren.

Since my family moved so often and I was able to spend two full years with them, I look upon them as the family of my childhood, my last connecting thread to that time in my life. The memories are fond and I am so grateful I was embraced by this small community. Memories shared this time were more of a salute to the past as a way of saying thanks for being a part of the fabric of who we have become. There were more losses, and more vows to "keep in touch" and a commitment to get together in 5, not 10 more years, as well as making every effort to find those that didn't join us.

I enjoyed this reunion as a reminder of my past but also to see how far I have come. I am now a grateful child of God, wife, mother and grandmother, sister, daughter and friend. I look forward to the day when another reunion will come; when I see my Savior face to face, when I see loved ones and more friend from my past. That will be the greatest reunion ever. In the meantime, I will cherish old friends and will work harder at keeping in touch.