2018 Week 12: Spring Breaks

These shy primroses break through the ground in early spring. They never look up, perhaps afraid of what is to come.

Monday us siblings wanted to attend Mother's care conference at Grace Village, so that is the day I chose to visit. It was good to see Ivan and Kim. They are facing difficult life uncertainties. Kim explains in her post A Holding Pattern.

Kim and Ivan                                                 Aunt Margaret and Mother

Mother and I look forward to our reading times. She always asks, "Did you bring some letters?" I had brought a lost treasure I found last week--14 handwritten pages my brother Lynn wrote when he visited for a couple days in 2012.

He wanted to know how my memoir was coming. I had asked him long before to help me with his amazing memory. He must have realized that my part was not progressing, so he decided to work on his contribution. I can still see him sitting at our counter, diligently writing. Then he entrusted me with the 14 pages titled "What I remember."

In preparation for Lynn's memorial service last November I searched and hoped to find his writings. But, alas, they did not show up till now.

I knew Aunt Margaret would love to hear Lynn's memories, so we paid her a visit and enjoyed them together. I laughed so hard at some parts. Others made me sad. His memory for details amazed us.

Tuesday evening I attended a ladies fellowship to hear Bekah Shaffer's talk entitled "Your Story Matters." Her passion to journal and record her life story so resonates with me. For lack of paper I had to take notes on the decorative spring-theme napkins.

However, spring weather was not willing to show up on its official opening day.
The first I knew of the Wednesday snow storm was when I opened Facebook and saw a photo posted by our neighbor ". . . we wake up to 4". Oh, Indiana!"
Then I looked out and saw this:

Later at Leah's, even her cat Delilah was complaining: "First day of spring, meow? You've got to be kidding, meow!"

Thursday, only three of us got together to practice watercolor art, and with no teacher, so we played around with an idea Leah found on YouTube - Q-tip painting.

Creative projects are ongoing at Nanna Leah's house. Rebecca designed this creature and Leah put it together. What is it?

Far away in "Canadia" (as Stephan refers to our neighbor), in distant and sparsely populated Northwest Territory, an exciting winter festival was in progress. A stray, icy-cold mallard came in for a brief landing. It was "Touch-n-Go." The ice-artist himself looks ready to take off.

Saturday, in snow-buried Plainfield, the robotics team was more worried about the indoor challenges of playing a strategically complicated game - Power-Up.

I had chosen not to drive Saturday due to the heavy snow forecast, however the storm never came north of Muncie. Even so, I followed the matches online, cheering and yelling in an empty home.

Shortly after the last one, Sam called, "Mom, you have to go right now to Fort Wayne. Malachi is in ICU at Parkview hopistal and we are in ER with Elijah who broke his leg skateboarding." !!! Panic ensued, I mean LOUD PRAYING!!!

I had no idea what I would find. The three day journey that began Saturday is becoming a story of God's care in the midst of unbelievable circumstances and merits a post of its own, if time allows. Meanwhile I put together the photos in a FB album--Spring BreakS.

Day 1                                                                                  Day 2                                                     Day 3

And here is today's summary update:

Saturday 13 year old Elijah broke his leg in a skateboarding accident and was taken to the ER. While at the ER with him, their 19 year old son Malachi Koch was in a terrible head on collision at 60mph (not his fault). He was intubated and lifelined by helicopter to The hospital. He has been in ICU and underwent surgeries yesterday. Elijah also had surgery for his broken leg yesterday.

Kristie and Sam have been at the hospital with both sons while the two youngest boys ages 5 and 8 have been with family. Today Kristie had to go to the ER herself for dehydration and Influenza. She is now home caring for Elijah and is sick herself. Sam is at the hospital with Malachi who is now coming around but still very groggy and suffering a good deal of pain with movement. Little boys are being cared for by all of us in the family.

The two young ones just arrived for a couple days with us on their spring break!