My son has gone through a difficult time, especially since it is Christmas time. He has been a rock and a comfort for his wife and her family as they have lost her Mother. It was a sudden and unexpected event that took the family unawares, and has been devastating for all.
DiAnn was a strong, but gentle woman. She had experienced hardship and pain, suffered loss and her own illness. She radiated her faith in God and her love for her family and lived fully and with joy when circumstances would defeat another woman. My daughter-in-law will be like her, she has the same strength and grit; but not today. Not with the heartbreak of the death of her mother at Christmas. She is doing as well as can be expected.
This is where I have seen my son rise to the occasion, he has been " the man", an organizer, driver, reasoner, comforter, friend, and all around rock for his wife, daughter, and the grieving family members. He arranged the flight for the girls to get to Denver, then drove through a blizzard for two days to be with them. We have talked several times, he has been tearful; we are all saddened by her passing, but I hear such strength and purpose in his voice. He takes a leadership role in an amazingly kind and quiet manner.
I am so proud of him, of both of them. They are real "grown ups" now, and they are everything that both DiAnn and I could have asked for in our children. I am blessed in knowing that both she and I will live on in them, in their hearts and minds, as well as in their strength and love as they carry the torch we have handed to them.
About Me
- Jana
- Up in the Hills Rathdrum/Hauser, Idaho, United States
- This blog is for the Thoughts, Opinions, Memories, and Musings that are rattling around in my head.
12/27/10
9/20/10
The Beginning
We lived in a little eight hundred square-foot house on seven acres, straight out of Mother Earth News. There was a garden, an outhouse, a chicken coop, and a goat shed. Life was good, we had realized our dream of leaving the big city and moving to the country. We named it "Goat Hill Farm".
We barely had room for the four children we had brought to the little house through our marriage, but had a desire to complete the circle, and adopt a child that would grow in the love and laughter we had in abundance.
I remember the conversation so clearly. The message at church that Sunday morning was on 1John3, 17-19.....if anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
God's love for us and in us will give us the will and ability to pass it on to others. Basically, it was a call to "Put your money where your mouth is!" The word seemed so clear to me, so while we were all changing into work clothes to put up a field of hay, I asked Michael "How do you feel about adoption?" With his usual humor, and without missing a beat, he replied, "Fine...adopt 'em all out!"
We were still laughing as we all went out the door to stack hay bales, with no clue where the road would lead us.
This was the beginning of our journey.
We barely had room for the four children we had brought to the little house through our marriage, but had a desire to complete the circle, and adopt a child that would grow in the love and laughter we had in abundance.
I remember the conversation so clearly. The message at church that Sunday morning was on 1John3, 17-19.....if anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.
God's love for us and in us will give us the will and ability to pass it on to others. Basically, it was a call to "Put your money where your mouth is!" The word seemed so clear to me, so while we were all changing into work clothes to put up a field of hay, I asked Michael "How do you feel about adoption?" With his usual humor, and without missing a beat, he replied, "Fine...adopt 'em all out!"
We were still laughing as we all went out the door to stack hay bales, with no clue where the road would lead us.
This was the beginning of our journey.
9/5/10
IT'S TIME
It's time. It's time to write our story.
Last evening I sat in the living room at the ranch with two grown sons and their wives, and realized that the children have assumed the roles of the adults in the family, and my job; the Mom job, is done. We must have done something right...they are fine, fine human beings.
I am like the farmer that sits back on his tractor, looking at the acres of golden wheat just before the harvest.... I am feeling that same pride, relief, satisfaction, and quiet joy. Like the farmer, I know that there are other factors that came together to make it all work, I can't take too much of the credit, but it still feels really good.
This work has been bubbling in my mind and heart for some time now, and it became clear last night, as I officially (at least in my mind) became the Queen Mother.
So, over the next months or years, I will try to tell the stories of our family. They will be accurate from my perspective only, they will make me laugh and cry as I tell them, and they will be an unofficial history for my family to someday read. Or burn!!
The stories will not have any chronological order, but will spring out of memories that are kindled by events of the day. My hope is that they bring a smile, or that there are lessons learned.
Life is a journey, and I am at a place on this journey where I can look back down the trail and see how far we have come.
It's time to tell the stories.....
Last evening I sat in the living room at the ranch with two grown sons and their wives, and realized that the children have assumed the roles of the adults in the family, and my job; the Mom job, is done. We must have done something right...they are fine, fine human beings.
I am like the farmer that sits back on his tractor, looking at the acres of golden wheat just before the harvest.... I am feeling that same pride, relief, satisfaction, and quiet joy. Like the farmer, I know that there are other factors that came together to make it all work, I can't take too much of the credit, but it still feels really good.
This work has been bubbling in my mind and heart for some time now, and it became clear last night, as I officially (at least in my mind) became the Queen Mother.
So, over the next months or years, I will try to tell the stories of our family. They will be accurate from my perspective only, they will make me laugh and cry as I tell them, and they will be an unofficial history for my family to someday read. Or burn!!
The stories will not have any chronological order, but will spring out of memories that are kindled by events of the day. My hope is that they bring a smile, or that there are lessons learned.
Life is a journey, and I am at a place on this journey where I can look back down the trail and see how far we have come.
It's time to tell the stories.....
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