June 28, 2007

  • Thirteen Happy Memories
    From the Month of June

     

    1.   June 2nd. Jesse and I went out to dinner to celebrate "the day that changed the rest of our lives" which was 10 years ago. It was the day we really got to know each other and ended up talking, after meeting at a different church than our own, until 1:30 am! This was like a "real date" with no children and no hurry!  We enjoyed a steak dinner and the leisurely pace.

    2.   June 6th & 7th.  Watching Rissy and Annamarie shop for birthday presents for Stephanie and Father's Day cards for their dad. They are both old enough to put a lot of thought into what they buy. I enjoyed watching them choose gifts, wrapping paper, and cards.

    3.   June 10th. The sight of my friend Lori (from Ohio) and her entire family pulling into our driveway an hour earlier than we expected. We were pulling in the driveway at the same time they were, and I couldn't figure out WHO was in that vehicle I didn't recognize! What a thrill to find out it was her family.

    4.   I remember standing shoulder to shoulder with Lori when we were looking through one of my bookcases deciding what books she wanted to take home with her. How cool! She's a friend I met online who lives in Ohio and she was standing next to me in my house! I feel so close to her (like we are relatives) and remembered thinking I wished this happened once a week instead of once a year.

    5.   While Lori's large family visited with our large family, the level of children's voices continued to escalate to a chaotic roar! But . . . in the quiet corner of the kitchen, I could hear one of Lori's daughters sweetly singing and gently playing a hymn on our piano. Actually PLAYING the piano the way it's supposed to be played!!!  The gentle sounds from the kitchen washed me with such a sense of peace and happiness while immersed in a world of loud voices.

    6.   June 12th. Our oldest daughter's (Stephanie) birthday. I decided to serve lamb chops with mint jelly (a favorite meal of everyone), decorated the table with floral tablecloth, napkins, and dessert plates, bought and arranged real fresh florals for a centerpiece, and threw silk flower petals over the table top. It was all purples and pinks and looked just like her. Plus, she seemed really happy with her gifts this year - mainly gift cards, but she thanked us over and over.

    7.   June 13th & 14th.  Two days of preparation for our next houseguests arriving June 15th. Jesse's brother (James) and our great niece (Aolani) were visiting from Tacoma, WA. I hadn't seen our niece since she was a couple of months old and she's now 6 1/2 - she's a little bigger than last time!  I was amazed at how Annamarie and Rissy were able to pitch in and carry their load of housework.  Sweet girls.

    8.   I loved watching the happiness on Jesse's face while he jokingly, bantered with James and they told and relived stories from their past.

    9.   I enjoyed building memories for my girls with their cousin. They played together constantly, we went to the mall with gift cards from their aunt to "Build a Bear" and everyone walked out with a new furry friend, and we even colored eggs one day. I buy Easter egg dye in season and use it off season as art projects!

    10.  Father's Day was exciting for my girls because they couldn't wait for Jesse to open their cards and display them on the fireplace mantle. Our guests were ill and stayed in bed most of the day, so the day itself wasn't much fun for Jesse. I promised him we would do something fun to celebrate his day AFTER our guests were gone.

    11.  I enjoyed giggling and sharing silly jokes with my brother-in-law about how much food we ate and who was more miserable! I found out he loves bread/rolls as much as me!

    12.  June 26th. It was fun helping my b-i-l pack French onion dip to take home on the plane. They don't have the "right brand" in Tacoma! We shopped for a soft sided cooler and gel packs, the day before, to keep things chilled. I sent him to his plane knowing his brownies from the ice cream shop and his precious dip were safely packed. I had to smile when I thought about the fact he would be stopping one last time at the drive-thru up the street for his last Sonic burger!

    13.  Night of June 26th. Crawling in bed with Jesse that night and feeling our shared happiness and contentment brought me such a feeling of joy and peace. We discussed how our spacious home is really God's home and not ours at all. And, whoever God sends as a guest will always be welcomed in our home as long as they stay. 

    It's what we do!

     

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