On Frozen Pond

 Frozen in place. That's how I have felt the last two weeks since I lost the chapter I was working on. Stuck. Not moving forward.

The pond at the back of our land

Not that I was inactive, doing nothing, paralyzed. Just not making progress, not moving forward. And the road ahead loomed circuitous and unattainable.
I saw the perfect visual representation this weekend as the youngest grandsons and I explored our woods. We came across ancient gigantic vines. The boys tried to be like Jack and the Beanstalk and climb up to the sky--an impossible challenge, fun nonetheless.
Does anyone want to venture a guess as to how old these vines could be?

Six year-old Jude modeled for me the persistance it takes to make progress. When he came Friday evening, he saw my knitting project laying on the couch and asked to learn. So we got out needles and yarn for him to practice. His little hands had to practice several skills to control the needles, the tension of the thread and go through the steps for each stitch: down in, wrap, pull through, off. Wow! He did not give up!

That kid really loves learning. Next he wanted a piano lesson! But we ran out of time.

February ran out all too soon as well.

An Argentine acquaintance wrote about this on March 1st! And I translated from the Spanish:

I fell into the abyss between February and March.
I’ve banged my head against the wall of dead hours on the corner of two stolen days.I've got injured stellar ribs, calendar fractures, dreams to be observed, some splintered laughs, painful absences, and a moonless insomnia that makes the night infinitely long.In the shadowy hallways a dog barks at nothing. 

Vilma Novick

 P.S.: The sun came out. 

I shall go for a walk on the golden sidewalks of March.
I am frankly improved.

It is March. After feeling "stuck" for the last two weeks, I am determined to move forward, march on!

And so it was, that after a fun time with the grands at the Muncie Children's Museum . . .

"Marsh" cashier, Rebecca; reader Kayla in the Book Nook; Jude punching poor Ronald McDonald

. . . and while Michael and the team persistently worked on the robot (he has spent untold hours there this week) . . . 

. . . I grabbed a cup of tea (to wake me up after the busy Meemaw-weekend) and spent five hours rewriting chapter 8!  Thank you, God!

We are grateful that 14-year-old grandson Elijah has made good friends in the PhyXTGears community as well as learning a whole bunch in the mechanical area. 

Elijah, the week's featured student; working on the robot; watching matches to learn scouting skills 

 Memorable Dates:

Six years ago Daddy's body  was laid to rest.

February 24, 2013, the viewing (Photo credit niece Tina Herschberger)

February 25, 2013, the family after the memorial service (Photo credit cousin Stan Hoyt)

Since then, two more family members have joined Dad in heaven. Time is running out. We wait.