Sunshine,BlackCoffee,Gramma’s114thBirthday

 Here I sit with the morning sun pouring in through Goldie, our rv’s, windows at the Columbia River on the border between Washington and Oregon. This is one of my favorite journeys in our country. Ronnie B and Cora are out in the brisk morning air doing winter solstice measurements on a petroglyphs we have stopped at often over the years. I just finished my Bible study in Titus and wanted to share the peace in my heart while I sip my black coffee. 

Today is Gramma Peabody’s birthday and she only let me drink coffee if I drank it black. To this day that is the way I take my cup of joe. She was born in 1910 so would be well into her hundreds if she were not currently celebrating in heaven. Emma Peabody was quite a character and I am proud to say that a lot of my randomness and lack of filters are attributed to her. What a gift it was to grow up with her example of enjoying life with just enough of an inappropriate edge to keep others guessing at her thoughts. I can’t say I miss my grandma because so much of me comes from her. That means I see her orneriness in my personality almost daily. 

Gramma and Grandpa are also examples of how Ron and I travel in our little casita on wheels. They always slept in their trailer not in relatives homes. They ate breakfast together to allow for time as a couple but also so the family had their time. That works for us and those we are visiting. My kids never got to know my Gramma but I let them know how much they would have enjoyed her. She was self taught on a wide variety of subjects and she could make a sailor blush with her language but only when Grandpa was out off earshot. Emma drank coffee exclusively because she said water would rust her pipes. She tried to be a good influence but her nature was to shock us with her wit. Once, she shared that grandpa had slowed down as he got older……….she liked it! With a glimmer in her eye she let us know that marital relations were not just for the young but also for the young at heart. Oh gramma, you helped me have a marriage to my best friend for almost fifty years by keeping life fun. 

So here I sit remembering my Gramma with my black coffee and the sun beating down on me. I share her love of all things water and swimming as well as her adventurous personality. My fish tank is in tribute to her even though it is not her tank. Hold on to the connections that keep us together even decades after someone is gone. 

Today we will begin our holiday season with family and make memories that will last long after Ronnie B and I have joined our parents, grandparents, Ryan and Hector in heaven. Let’s hope our kids understand if this Noni has to share a few inappropriate moments for affect. 

In Him,

Joyful

12-15-24

Taco Prayers are Delicious Any Time of the Day

 So I saw this on a podcast this morning and it resonated with me. Too often I begin prayer like I am speaking to a genie in a bottle. This will be a way for me to direct my prayer in a saucy way. After all, it is okay to begin the day or end the day with tacos, right? 

What I would like to do is actually type my prayer this morning using this format. Here I go. 

Lord, I am so grateful that Ronnie B and I are off today on an adventure in our new to us rv. The journey to family is something I look forward to because of the time the two of us will spend together. Getting to be with at least a part of our kid’s families Christmas will also be such a gift. 

Thank you for the family that I once thought would not be possible. You are the giver of my heart and knew just what children would be a part of my life even when I had doubts. 

God help me to be more present in the lives of others. This season of isolating is not good for me or my relationships. I trust you to work on my heart and show me what changes I need to be more willing to be out there reaching others and allowing them to reach me. I teased a friend who definitely has FOMO fear of missing out that I have FOSU fear of showing up. But it is not at all funny. I do avoid in this time of my life and I hate this change in me. Lord, help me to joyfully be present.

Father, be with my family that I will not be with this Christmas season. Help those who are alone know that you are with them always. For those who isolate as I do, give them the courage to be included with others. For those who are able, help them to reach out and include someone who desperately needs to be included. 

Lord, help me to show up and find joy in the gatherings this holiday season. Help smooth our time with family so nobody feels left out or minimized by our time with others. Let them know how much we love each one and how we long to balance our time so everyone feels included. Please find your way to bring my children back in relationship with one another. It is not by accident that they live within an hour of one another. You have a plan. Give me confidence in your ways and your timing. 

In Him,

Joyful

12-12-24

Happy fourth anniversary Natalie and Nate!

Christmas Letter from Ronnie B and Noni 2024

 2024 was a year of travel, healing and connections. This picture is of us in front of the Parthenon in Athens in October. What a trip of a lifetime it was and sharing it together made it even more grand. 

You may have noticed that we did not send Christmas cards last year. 2023 was a year of laying low and healing from long Covid. God is good and I am completely off oxygen and continuing to get my stamina back. 

Ron and I are loving travel again. Not only did we go to Greece and the Bahamas but have taken a couple trips in our new/old RV. Goldie is a 2000 Chinook and perfect for us to travel into our golden years. 

                                                                                                   Merry Christmas and hope you have a year of adventures in 2025. Remember adventure before dementia is our motto. 

Pizza, Vegan, Glutten Free or Traditional - Togetherness is Key

 No more cooking all day. Now I can watch football with Ronnie B. Do you think I should grab one soon and make sure it is as yummy as Mom’s was? Or would it be better to wait so the uniqueness of the pizza is a holiday surprise? 

Seriously though there are so many ways to get the deliciousness of Thanksgiving dinner. Last year we had a completely glutten free dinner. Yes,even the stuffing, rolls and pies. A few years ago we were invited to a completely vegan Thanksgiving Both were incredible delectable. One year we had an ordered from grocery store meal and another year it was picked up from a family diner. Most years I cooked or contributed dishes. Whatever way the food is prepared or what ingredients are added or left out, the real joy in Thanksgiving is the coming together of people to enjoy being in the same room.

So this year let’s hope that everything doesn’t go perfectly. After all, the memories ae made through the mishaps. The year Grandma Peabody burned the pumpkin pie or Uncle Billy dropped the mashed potatoes turning them into smashed potatoes. So eat, drink, laugh, cry and wear stretchy pants this Thanksgiving. Invite others who may be sitting alone with a turkey oizza. Let them bring the green bean casserole or paper plates. Just be sure to include others. My prayer for you is an oven that works and that you remember celery doesn’t do well in your garbage disposal.

In Him,

Joyful

11-10-24

Senior Teenagers, Elderteens and Tomfoolery

 When I think about life closing in on seventy, I can only be excited for this season of life. More years are behind me than in front of me but I want to make the upcoming years as full of joy as possible. It would be a waste to dwell on what has come and gone rather than rejoicing in what is here and now. No,  I don’t ski or kayak any longer but I do have time to read and connect with family and friends. Although I no longer have my kids in my house or kids in a classroom, I do have adventures with my grown children and their families. 

This picture is a reminder to me that I can skip hand in hand into old age with my people. I want to be one of these ladies that are enjoying life in their season of wrinkles and white hair. Energy will decline and activities will need to be adjusted accordingly. But getting into the spirit of tomfoolery and fun can be accomplished even from a rocking chair. Joy is an attitude in whatever season I am in.

 It is a choice I want to make daily to know that even if my eyesight fails I can always listen to a good book or a tv show that gives me the chuckles. Oh those Golden Girls had my Mom giggling up until her final days. She enjoyed life even as her life was slipping away. The day before she died she was goofing with us. The same was true of my dad. His final day he was surrounded by family and friends who began telling stories of their mischief with him. He hushed them as he implied he didn’t want to remind God of his orneriness just before arriving at the pearly gates. My grandma said she loved old age because others thought she didn’t understand when she said something a bit off color. Teehee, she knew exactly what she was saying. My parents and grandparents set a fantastic example how to live life as senior teenagers and embrace what is and what will be.

In Him,

Joyful

11-7-24

Mixed Emotions, a Lifetime of Joy

This is Caleb, my great grandson. To be fair all my grandsons are great but Caleb’s mom is my granddaughter. This week,  I had the pleasure of going with him to his Halloween party at the Methodist church. The fellowship hall has been a part of our journey for decades. They left the concrete floors uncovered so the room can serve as a skating rink on Friday nights, toddlers ride their trikes around, and potluck plates can easily be cleaned up when they fall unexpectedly. 

Over the years this space has held many of my kids birthday parties, graduation events and even our son’s goodbye party. Ryan isn’t here to see his sweet, look alike grandson enjoying the space he spent a lot of his special moments. But here I am snuggling Ryan’s twin as his Noni. 

This didn’t make me sad but I did have to take a few moments to breathe. The fact that forty plus years ago I was told that I could not conceive a child. There were too many tears as I lost hope of being a mom. Then God formed our family through adoption. Here I sit with Caleb on my lap and I get to be his Noni. Our family is flourishing with littles as my kids grow their families. 

I thank God for my Ronnie B who never gave up on our dream of being parents. The adoption journey not only gave us the family we so desired but connected our lives to our birthmom’s families as well. Natalie’s birth grandma, Phyllis, and I have spent a lifetime connected. What a gift to have extended family through our chosen family.

So today I celebrate that I get to be a mom, Noni and that there are moments even in a place with mixed emotions where smiles erupt. Caleb is definitely Ryan’s mini me and I adore this sweet two year old. This last picture is of Ryan at three years old.

In Him,

Joyful

11-5-24

 

Creating a New Routine/Habit

 We don’t ever forget to brush my teeth or put on shoes when I leave the house. Something’s are just automatic in our lives. We get up and put on the coffee, tinkle, and put on our robe if it is cold.  So what do we want to do that we don’t do? Hmmmmm. It may be that we need to make it a daily thing until it becomes a daily thing. Yes, that is what I said. What if weI want to empty the dishwasher every morning but don’t? Then the dirty dishes pile up on the counter. Messy kitchen causes stress. So if we get up put one the coffee, tinkle, and empty dishwasher for two weeks straight then perhaps that becomes as ingrained as grabbing our purse and keys when we get in the car. 

So what is something we want to add to our routine? This will be different for each of us. Is it going for a brisk walk, making your bed, drinking a large glass of water, reading, or sitting in a sunny spot just being quiet before the day begins? Perhaps it is a nightly routine you want to add. Maybe you want to lotion your legs before getting into bed or kiss your spouse goodnight. What ever it is doing it intentionally and regularly will make it a part of our routine just like washing your hands after a potty stop. 

Seems I have been talking about toileting a lot in this blog. Maybe I will need a quick stop before my second cup of coffee. Definitely too much information. So I will leave you with your thoughts on what you want to add to your routine while I figure out mine. 

In Him,

Joyful

10-29-24