Fourth Week

Slow healing continues--gradually less pain and increased mobility--and ever learning more coping tricks. Meanwhile more long walks, a few special events, and one big goal to focus on--clean up Dropbox of excessive files.

The first event to look forward to was the alumni evening at my alma mater, Grace College and Seminary, which included dinner, a lovely boat ride on the lake, and a tour of the newly opened Dr. Dane Miller Science Complex where we learned of the Lilly Center Studies that conducts testing and research of lakes and streams and classroom education in area schools. More than 50 aquariums are housed there ready to go out this fall.

Another institution we love is our neighbor--Taylor University. In my walks I continue to explore and learn new details: a plaque to remember a dormitory that is no longer; a campus clock, gift of the class of 1967; and the KSAC, short for Kesler Student Activities Center.

The next event I looked forward to was the Basque meal prepared by the three students who visited our area this summer. We had not met them yet so it was a very enjoyable evening getting acquainted and sharing the lovely food they prepared for us.

I also look forward to the Let's Make Art Paint Along of the week, though I was not as happy with my end result. However, the first pledge at the beginning of the show is, "I promise to be kind to myself." So here it is.

Hollyhocks

 Everyday this week I searched the Miracle Camp photos for glimpses of grandson Elijah. For days there was no sight of him. I began to wonder whether he had run away, ha! Then finally I caught these. Can't wait to hear his report of camp week.

Moriah (our resident student, away for the summer) sent a photo of the four Phyxtgears Dannar summer interns atop the huge mobile power station they've been working on. In less then four weeks they will be back in school.

Michael, besides helping me, has enjoyed some very long bike rides nearly every other day. Saturday evening, after a very long day riding with friends from what used to be the Delaware Cycling Club,  we had a delightful evening at an outdoor performance of Shakespeare's As You Like It by the Hoosier Shakes.

Other fun moments were encounters with friends--at a cafe, on a long walk, at the Farmer's Market, at a bridal shower.
And the finale was Sunday celebrating Skye's 22nd birthday with family at Matt and Kayla's. They are wonderful and generous hosts.

My gift to him was his early-life story, an assortment of photos-good memories to prepare him for what lies ahead as becomes a father. Here are just a few of my favorites: the new bicycle mom assembled; on our deck; his favorite pose; off to work with grandma's briefcase and wearing her shoes!

 There were a few cat lovers present at the event: Rebecca with Buddy Oz and Delilah, Leah's indoor cats; Kayla and Karen with Oreo and Twinkie, the Kern family cats.

For most of this year it has taken me longer to process each week's memories and memorable moments. If you are a regular reader, you have surely noticed and grown accustomed to looking for a post on Tuesdays. I am grateful to be able to continue these reflections on life as it happens.

Do you keep a record of the daily gifts life brings?

Third Week

Friday marked three weeks since the accident. Life moves on slowly. Days go by one by one, each brings its own pleasures and diversions. Flowers on the table make me happy.

We learn coping tricks and grow more accustomed to the helping routines that get me through this season of being "lame in both arms." (As opposed to Mephibosheth who was lame in both feet, 2 Samuel 9:3)

The Meal Train ended Friday as well, but we are well supplied with frozen extras for the future. Each contribution this week was special in its own way. We enjoy when the givers can also partake the meal with us.

Sunday, rather than delivering a meal to our house, our friends Dane and Laurie invited us to their home after the service (they live next door to the church). To our surprise, they had asked several other to join in "Rita's meal." We had a great time of fellwoship, wonderful food, and a fun game--Suspend.

Notice the Suspend challenge in the center

Monday, Leah took me to our local nail salon, Polished, andI chose a bold color for once.
And after we enjoyed our favorite foods at The Bridge Cafe across the street.

BLT sandwich (Leah), South African salad (Rita)

I continue to enjoy long walks, listening to books, observing nature, and exploring new spaces on the Taylor campus.

Tuesday, I hired three sisters who do landscaping to help restore order and beauty to our overwhelmingly overgrown surroundings. They worked wonders in four hours of steady hard effort even through a torrential cloudburst! "We loved it. I always wanted to play in the rain,"  one said.

That evening I attempted Sarah Cray's live tutorial, the weekly Paint Along, and was pleasantly surprised to be able to join in even with hand limitations.

Evenings we relax (and often fall asleep!) watching movies. This week a series of food-related ones: East Side Suchi, Tortilla Soup, Love's Kitchen; and a couple others, A Castle in the Sky, and I Dreamed of Africa.

Michael has been working steadily, bit by bit, on a major hardwood floor repair project, to replace a whole section damaged by our previous leaky refrigerator. He had to work some "magic" to fit the new-sized boards in old grooves. Friday he was able to say, "It is finished!"It is beautiful!

Friday afternoon we went to the our local Farmer's Market, always a fun commjnity event.

On this occasion, Matt and Kayla were there selling honey, always such a joy to interact with them.

A couple of Upland Farmer's Market vendors: Upland Honey, from Kern's bees; wreaths by friend Debbie Manganello

Skye and Destiny posted the big family news this week along with a first photo of our next great grandbaby due in 2020.

The weekend marked the end of the Logos Hope visit to Buenos Aires and also the closing of the Alumni retreat onboard. After the event, our Argentine Doulos shipmates, gave the leaders a replica of the Doulos as a token to represent the wonderful memories of our time involved in the ship ministry and the ongoing impact of the experience. View the moving response here.

So it is that life moves on and we find purpose in every day, every moment. "For in him we live and move and have our being ."  (Acts 17:28)

Summer Daze

Summer moves on more slowly now as I wait for my bones to become knit together firmly, however each day brings new and interesting distractions.
Personal hygiene remains complicated, hair styling impossible, but I focus on what I can do, like walking. Most days I keep going beyond the mailbox at the top of the lane . . .

. . . and just keep going toward the Taylor University campus and explore a different path each time exceeding my daily step goals.  

Michael is a good caregiver, and with some added help and a few meals still coming, we keep the household running. 

Mondays, however, we always look forwaed to son Stephan's meal and hearing what they've been up to. This time we got to see the repaired and restored old shepherd before it was returned to MAC,  their church. Now it is displayed indoors away from the destructive effects of weather.

More art sightings: 

We had a pour painting party for Leah's adopted birthday, my friend Georgia's idea..

Here are the resulting works of art. Rebecca and I just played with watercolor.
my only contribution was a tree outline; she added the green.

That evening, however, I watched Sarah Cray's live tutorial on Let's Make Art and attempted a small card with my limited dexterity.

The next morning was my follow-up appointment at the Central Indiana Orthopedics. The double splint was replaced by a hard cast. Ouch, the edges are hard, causing different limitations! Notice the Argentine colors, albiceleste, in honor of their 203rd birthday, el 9 de julio.

Needless to say I could not join Mother for the Grace Village outing to the Kosciusko County fair. They posted a few photos, and there she is playing Bingo.

I've also been following the many reports of the visit of our sister ship Logos Hope to Buenos Aires. The highlight this week was the 40th alumni reunion with numerous photos and stories of those who gathered for the event. 

Doulos friends, how many do you recognize in this last photo?

Friday and Saturday Michael left very early each morning, but made sure I was dressed, fed and ready to fend for myself. 

It was the weekend of the Indiana Robotics Invitational. In its 20th or so year, this has become an elite event--only 68 of the best teams, 50 applicants were turned away. And we were invited, thanks to our high ranking in Indiana. Amazing! 

I was thoroughly entertained watching the livestream at home, and our little team felt God's blessing in their performance and two neat surprises: Kaylee won an IRI scholarship, and alliance #1 selected 1720 as alternates and then won the championship!

I was even able to join the UCC hiking group Saturday morning and be back just in time to watch the first match. 

Of course someone gave me a ride. Hmmm, wonder when I'll be able to drive again. Next appointment is July 30.

How is your summer going?

Grateful

--for two arms and hands! Not being able to use them fully makes me appreciate them all the more. And with both arms injured, I am less likely to overuse them allowing the bones to rest and heal.

--for friends who care and help

--for restful naps out on the deck enjoying the beauty of summer.

--for long walks around the Taylor University campus, and good books to listen to on the way.

--for very practical help with household chores. April and her daughters gave us a couple hours of their day to do whatever we needed and spoiled us with a treat from Ivanhoe's and flowers to brighten our home.

--for meals delivered and many more to come. Kristie set up a Meal Train schedule that soon filled up, others begging for the opportunity to bless us with food.

--Kristie also noticed the need for weeding and stopped by after work. She enjoys getting her hands  in the dirt and the instant gratification of a tidy garden. She just doesn't know when to quit!

--for my faithful caregiver and loving husband who keeps his promise of nearly 50 years ago, "in sickness and in health, for better or for worse."
I am especially grateful that he is in good health and able to get away for the long bike rides he enjoys so much.
On the 4th, he stopped to check the corn growth. Even after a very wet and difficult planting season for the farmers, the corn seems to be on schedule.

"Knee high by the 4th of July"

I have been following the news from the visit of our sister-ship, the Logos Hope, to Buenos Aires. Earlier this year I had toyed with the idea of combining a visit to the ship with a reunion of old friends in the land of my youth.
Though the winter in Argentina has been unusually cold, the welcome the ship received there has been a very warm one. The Vice President had offered very kind words during the official opening. This article tells more: Vice President's Endorsement.

--for technology which allows me to stay connected and involved even from home. It was wonderful to participate in the Sunday worship service via Livestream.

Although I haven't attempted to paint since the accident, I did add words to the most recent piece as a way to say a big thank you to all.

Vacation Adventures

Bedroom in Arles, Vincent van Gogh

June is over and finished and so is the Paint by Sticker calendar page even though the last few areas were especially challenging to complete because I am significantly handicapped right now. In fact I am typing with one finger and that is a much slower process. However, there is nothing else I can do right now, so why not keep the blog going.

So this is what I look like. However, I do not feel as bad as I look, grateful for all the medical helps available.

So, what happened? We were on a two-day tandem tour of the Miami Valley trail between Piqua and Dayton, and only 5 to 10 miles from the finish, when we hit a muddy spot and the bike slid out from under us. I ended up with fractures in both arms--left shoulder, right wrist. When Michael tried to get me to stand up, I saw stars. I hadn't realized before then that it's a true thing! So, I lay down and waited. A local rider came by soon after our fall, called 911 and stayed with us the entire time until the ambulance made its way to where we were on the trail.
Michael has multiple open sores, serious road rash, and now he has to look after me for a few weeks!

Now, let's talk about the great vacation.

It was prefaced by a wonderful reunion with friends from long ago that are like family.

Babcocks, Cratons, Leah, Mike, Rebecca, Rita

Brenda, to my left, was on a team with me in Mexico when we were both single, the 1969 Christmas crusade, just before Mike and I were married. Later, Brenda was on our team in Europe while her fiance Dave was detained in Turkey. She helped me when I could no longer get around in the last weeks of my first pregnancy. When they were married a few months later, we stood up with them in their civil ceremony, and I played the organ for the church wedding.
Dave and Brenda are in the area for a Global Partners event, and made time from their busy schedule to meet with us.
We've known Bob and Linda from before they were married and also attended their wedding. We worked on teams and projects together, even lived in the same house at times. And we settled in the same town, both drawn here by work for Taylor University.
We treasure these opportunities to get together, reminisce and catch up. Leah wrote, "And to think most of this table used to hold me as a baby and have known me most of my entire life !!!!"

Michael and I set off for Ohio directly from Ivanhoe's. (Rebecca wanted a photo of the tandem but maybe did not want to be in it.)

Highlights of our trip: 
--stopping to read historic markers in Piqua and learning about the Miami and Erie Canal and the First Atomic City.

Footbridge across the Great Miami River. In the 1960s, steam was pumped across this bridge from the reactor to Piqua's main power plant.

(That's Michael walking our bike across the bridge.)

--food and sights in Troy, including traveling sculptures by Seward Johnson.

A few favs

--the eateries: Lunch at 4 W Main, which features a different vendor each day. When we were there we had wonderful Bodega selections. The next day in Tipp City we came across that provider.

Can you see the tandem in the window display/

Little York Tavern & Pizza--the only place on our side of the big highway; we walked there the first evening. I did not want to get back on the bike after we'd settled into our lodging for the night.

Maid-Rite Sandwich Shoppe in Greenville was one planned destination before the accident, and we still made it there though much later than intended. Michael had wanted me to experience their very popular sloppy joes. It was a first for him too, having to feed me. 

Our last stop on the way home was an A&W stand in Union City. The wonderful nurse who looked after me, owns the place and told us to stop for a root beer float on the house.
We only missed one stop, a Buffalo Wild Wings in Piqua to watch USA/France women's soccer.

--being together, enjoying the beauty of nature, experiencing life as one with my "captain"

--taking pictures is a favorite, but I did not get anywhere near as many as the interesting sights and views we encountered.

If we could go back to these towns, I would spend more time in the little shops and amazing bookshops.

Now at home, we wait, rest, peck out messages with one finger, and rest. The hope is that the bones will heal with time and rest, and surgery will not be necessary. We wait.

And the flooring project Michael began also waits.

A rest-filled summer ahead. Oh, rest in the Lord, wait patiently for Him. . . remains a favorite musical refrain ever since my cousin sang it to his bride in their wedding more than 50 years ago.