Birthdays, building, and filming

Here's another gorgeous bouquet from cousin Karin to brighten our days with varied colored tulips.

Our own area is blossoming with wild and planted blooms.

This last week of March was bookended with birthday celebrations--Kalani the first Sunday and his Papaw Jimmy the next.

Opening his many gifts was a slow process, tearing off bits of wrapping paper and handing them to us, or just sitting on the gift. Though he was shirtless and readied to dive into his special cake, he didn't make a big deal of it. And, of course, this one-year-old could not appreciate his six-year-old cousin's heart-felt birthday card just yet.

It was a joy and privilege to meet with my friend Petey for breakfast Monday. It seems our meeting times are not as regular now with increased grandmotherly duties.

Michael has significantly increased his fatherly involvements this week, still working some hours daily at Stephan's and also helping Leah's dream art studio become a reality.

Purlins, do you know what they are? And can you see the window frame he was putting together?

Tuesday, March 23, I was remembering Milt Koch, my father-in-law, who passed away on that day in 2003 at age 86 after a long ten years battling crippling illnesses.

Tuesday afternoons, when Rebecca is here, we walk the trash up the lane to the road for Wednesday pick-up. She insists on trying to pull it up on her own.

My adventure in filming began Wednesday. Kendra, our resident film major, needed a 75 year-old for her senior narrative, thus I became "Miss Holly" despite my age (76).

The setting for the first shoot was a bed and breakfast nearby with a lovely lake. There on the bridge my "godson" broke up with Quinn, his fiancee. He died shortly thereafter.

This was my place, at the table looking at a photo album of Jack's boyhood.

Here you can glimpse the crew but not the massive impressive equipment required. 

To transport, load and unload, set up, dismantle all that is already a major task. The team had three very long days  filming in different sets. The novice actors didn't make it any easier for them.

Michael gets out for extended bike rides again, some 40 miles Saturday.

Meanwhile, I was at Jack's "funeral" faking sorrow. Daughter Leah joined me as an extra. We don't look very sad here!

Sunday was our final March birthday celebration--a dinner out with Leah and Jimmy.

March is almost over, but life marches on relentlessly. What surprises will next week bring?

Lent

Our lenten rose,  Helleborus or Hellebore, the first to bloom in late winter, in time for Lent!

Lent is observed in many different ways. To me it means a time of preparing my heart and mind for the grand celebration of Jesus' Resurrection. And I am excited about how ideas and plans are coming together.

Seminary was a time of preparation for my parents' life-long calling. It is also the title of my second chapter, published March 15 as scheduled.

Authors say that publishing a book is like giving birth--labor-intensive, painful, and exhilirating! My translator friend and I had some difficulty achieving a satisfactory parallel version in Spanish--Afinando el llamado.

Tuesday's Basic Jr. Bible lesson was about the birth of Jesus as promised hundreds of years before, to illustrate God's faithfulness. He keeps His promises. He is faithful.

As Miss Kelly tells the story, Rebecca and I illustrate it with Play Doh. Hers is all one piece: the manger and baby, an angel, Joseph and Mary.

On that same day we were reminded of Kalani's birth a year ago, and Mother's transition from this earth. 

My huge accomplishment for the week was to restore the 2000 photo album, a chore set aside since the housefire, Those yearly books of memories are another of the irreplaceable treasures that God protected during the blaze. I chose the silliest photo I could find among the lot, but it also represents looking back at that year. Meanwhile those cute younguns peeking out from their behind their dads, now as men look forward to new things--Skye (lower right) enjoys being Daddy to Kalani, and Malachi will soon be married to Lexi, the love of his life!

Friday's Courier featured this third article in a series about space. If you look carefully you will find mention of two members of our household.

Our two younger members had fun shopping. . . 

. . . and then trying on each others' clothes. So glad Moriah can finally experience having a roommate.

 

Here she is practicing the professional look. Next she needs a job! Graduation is fast approaching.

Stephan spent a few days in Ohio working with a group of ice carvers to make art out of 50,000 lbs. of ice for a magical drive-thru event--Ice World at the Warren County Fair Grounds--which ended on the first day of spring!  

One of his creations, a pair of dancing cranes:

Goodbye ice and snow! We think. 

However, last year we had a heavy snowfall on the first day of spring.

Major Deadlines

Cousin Karin in Dayton, TN, sent a photo of her first bouquet of the season--bright yellow daffodils and white Lenten roses.

No such blooms in our neck of the woods yet. So, here is my watercolor exercise of the week--a blooming cactus. I aim to attempt one tutorial a week on an evening when Michael is at robotics.

In his spare time Michael has been dabbling in watercolor and learning techniques in his usual way--watching YouTube videos and practicing. He is very patient that way. I barely manage to last for one tutorial.

The first half of the week he worked at Stephan's preparing the post holes for the big cement pour on Wednesday. It was hard physical labor. When the younger helpers were there, he chose a somewhat lighter role. For many more photos and a good description of the building process, follow Karen's blog: Meanwhile in Indiana.

Rebecca was here twice, Tuesdays we go through the Basics Jr. lesson of the week--goodness. She always anticipates which fruit of the Spirit comes next. 

She helps me walk the trash bin up to the top of the lane for the Wednesday pick-up. She enjoys racing me on the way back up, and winning, of course.

Friday, I picked her up from school for her first virtual piano lesson here.

It was an intense week for our resident film major: a portfolio deadline; a search and screen tests of needed characters to play in the narrative film (senior project), and major work to put on the big annual event of the Film Department--Envision. I captured this screen shot of Kendra managing the Steadicam, back breaking work. As if that were not enough, she is in a class training for a marathon and very dutifully drags her tired body out to run miles almost every day!

Friday, before the Screening and Awards program, Kendra received a beautiful congratulatory bouquet from Zack!

That evening we celebrated with our firstborn on his 50th birthday! I had been working on his gift, a sweatshirt blanket, since January, little by little, some seams ripped out more than once. He was kind to overlook the imperfections.

Stephan: "My wife gave my mom my old Ice Alaska sweatshirts and here’s what she made me!"

Over the weekend I spent much time reading for the publication deadline on the 15th--polishing both English and Spanish versions of Chapter 2 of My Argentina and finding appropriate photos.

I do better with deadlines, however, this project looms big--a leap of faith?

Have you taken on a seemingly impossible task, by faith?

Birthdays

Does your week begin on Monday, like Spanish calendars? If so, this is the appropriate photo. We were arriving at Stephan's for Monday Night Dinner and the sunset was so beautiful. 

Kendra and Zack came as well. It was a very enjoyable evening.

However, our calendar week begins on Sunday and we set aside that day for a weekly rhythm of corporate worship and are ever so grateful that we can meet together with our church family.

Sunday, February 28, was Zack's birthday. Kendra baked his cake of choice, one of her family favorites, Wacky Cake. Michael is giving her a hard time as usual, which she knows very well how to give back.

This bag Kayla gave me at Christmastime, is perfect for carrying my necessary items to Tuesday Bible study, but it's message may already be out of season. The sun is out and the snow is gone.

March has the most birthdays in our family circle. Wednesday, March 3, Lexi, Malachi's fiance was 22. I noticed on Facebook that he came from Winona Lake and met up with her at The Bridge Cafe in Upland! I had just been there that morning with a friend. 

We are eagerly looking forward to their wedding in a couple months.

Starting Wednesday, Michael has been helping Stephan every day. The first day they laid out the dimensions of the new house. 

 

Stephan is overwhelmed with everything coming together at the same time: sugaring, ice carving jobs, and house building. 

He collects sap from his 40+ maple trees, several hundred gallons by now, then boils it down into syrup.

Thursday's wonderful sunshine invited me to walk the mile or two to a friend's house to pick up a book she rebound for us. On the way back I met another walker. What a surprise to recognize Joy, someone I hadn't seen in more than twenty years. We had so many stories to tell.

The week ended with yet another birthday celebration. Destiny had experienced a Koch-style fondue meal early on in her relationship with Skye, so that is what she wanted for her birthday. 

I spent the day preparing and we were able to enjoy a "fun to do" fondue with two thirds of the growing Koch clan. It's a slow meal where everyone cooks their own meats and vegggies in either of the two pots of hot oil. Fondue fork squabbles and a race for the "floaties" are part of the fun.

Destiny also preferred the Krazy Koch birthday song.

Can you read her age on the brownie cake?

Come back next week for a very significant birthday in our family.

Full House

The week started out icy cold.

We had decided to take off after church to watch son Stephan and the other carvers in the process of making ice art. 

His was a more delicate, risky piece with many parts and so tall it barely fit under the tent.

The Best Pancakes 

Obviously at the start of "Sugaring Season", he had maple syrup in mind. 

Michael was so inspired that he carved a decent snow squirrel when we got home.

 

Our bread supply was running low, so Michael started a new batch and the girls finished it.

They were able to share the end product and show off their bread-making skills with a group of students on the MuKappa (missionary kids & internationals club) planning committee.

Rebecca was here Tuesday ready to play in the snow. This time it was pack-able. 

In our first attempt we ended up with such monstrous mounds, too heavy to stack.

Next we made a snow-girl outside Moriah's glass door.

Thanks to Michael's promptings and example, I am getting more exercise than ever before.

A local group, UCC Hikers, often announces outings for whoever can make it.

We joined Bob Medows, the organizer, for strenuous hike at Seven Pillars, trudging through 6" deep snow.

As the weather warmed up, Michael dared to go out for a bike ride Thursday.

Did anyone know this was National Engineers Week?

Don't know if that was the reason, but the Engineering students decided to have Fancy Friday.

The girls were busy getting Moriah dolled up for the day before her 8 AM class..

Ever so grateful for a deadline to clean up my loft writing area! I spent  most of Thursday preparing to welcome Kendra's boyfriend visiting from Massachusetts. I sorted, rearranged, dusted, swept, and finally on Friday made up a bed for Zack who arrived later that afternoon.

A photo was in order. Sorry, no before pics!

The love birds gazing . . . 

Rebecca was here for awhile. Moriah loves to play with young uns!

Zack got together with several old college friends while he was here. Saturday one of them drove in from Ohio! We had taught Zack our favorite game of 2020 and he loved it. So while Kendra was out doing her long run for Marathon training class, he taught Lukas how to play Splendor.

I posted the following Announcement on a new blog. I am so excited about this project. More to come!

In the process of sorting through piles and files, I came across photos I had not seen or didn't remember (that happens too often lately). This is my father's family when he was the next to youngest, the little boy in the front. Another brother was born later. Grandma had dark hair, and grandpa was still with the family. 

This week brought back memories of Daddy's passing, February 21, eight years ago, shortly before his 92nd birthday. I was so privileged to be with him during that momentous transition.