Independence Days

As if to illustrate, or emphasize the title, Week 28 published itself independently before I commented on the photos! Such a surprise! That fits right in with the numerous exasperating technological issues I've had so far this week. "Better late than never." So, here we go. Let's try again, beginning with Karin's glads to gladden our hearts. 

Sunday, July 4, we were very gladdened by a visit from son Sam's family. It was so good to catch up and fellowship before their move to New Palestine, happening even as I write. They will be closer to Kristie's job in Greenfield. 

And, as it was the 4th of July, Independence Day, we joined Leah's family for Jimmy's annual fireworks display. 

We all find a place in front of the Kern home (Kayla and Matt's house) facing the field where Jimmy and Skye set off a carefully chosen variety and sequence of fireworks for our enjoyment (and theirs?)

The children get to play with sparklers. 

The lit up back porch in the background is where Nana lives.

Kalani, however, fell asleep before the show. He was tuckered out from the preparation all afternoon as he tried to join in with his parents and Papaw unwrapping, selecting and sequencing the goods.

It was back to work Monday for Michael even if it was a government holiday. Using two stacked scaffolds, he managed to finish painting the difficult-to-reach heights. Throughout the rest of the week, among other tasks, he overcame a few other challenges and completed the huge task of painting the house.

I explored a different road on my daily walk and came across some lovely sights.

We truly enjoy the weekly gathering (and the food!) at Stephan and Karen's Monday Night Dinner. And there's the added anticipation of surveying the progress on their new house. 

Interior framing in progress

Tuesday mornings my friend Jane and I walk for an hour. We explored some of the paths on the TU campus. Among many interesting things to look at, we discovered a rose bush with three different color blooms, apparently in stages--white, rose, and yellow. Can anyone explain this mystery?

We've listened to the Daily Audio Bible for a dozen or more years, but this is the first time I participated in the annual Long Walk. This is what I posted about the experience on social media.

The Long Walk took me on a new neighborhood that began with lovely blossoms and sunshine and ended in the rain and cold wind. Halfway, I discovered this poignant reminder: Jesus died for me and for the sinners next to him. Only one turned to him for forgiveness and was immediately welcomed into Paradise. The world is divided like that: those who receive Him and have life and those who reject and are lost. The rain reminded me to give thanks in everything and that He promised to be with me through it all and unto the end, and beyond! #DABLongwalk2021

Michael began work on yet another summer project. He is building a climbing wall at the Switch Up, an after-school program in the neighboring town of Van Buren. He had offered to do this some years ago and now finally it was approved and is happening.

Friday, July 9, was Leah's adopted birthday. These three young ladies, the Blakely landscaping crew,  surprised her by clearing out an area and planting a flower garden of perennials and annuals.

9 de julio is also an important holiday in Argentina, el Día de la Independencia. I celebrated by listening to Argentine music played by a very gifted Argentine young man.

Saturday, while Michael was out bicycling, I enjoyed a very interactive musical show by Mrs. Kate. This special children's program was organized and sponsored by the local public library. The talented staff of four women includes our granddaughter Kayla, who also designed and made their t-shirts!

Any other familiar faces in these pics?

Houses, birthdays, life

Karin's Sunday bouquet, May 23

Sunday afternoon, I drove up to Winona Lake for a very special birthday party. The missionary neighbor we called Aunt Margaret, turned 100 May 25th. Jim and Margaret Marshall moved in next to us in a big 15-room house in La Carlota, our first location in Argentina. I was only five or six. The last couple decades of their lives brought the two couples together again in the same neighborhood and during their final years they lived in the same health care residence for seniors. Margaret survived them all. She always said she wanted to make it to her 100th birthday.

It was so good to see her again after more than a year!

My friend Darlene also had a birthday this week. We don't get together very often, so it was good to share lunch and conversation at Payne's.

Michael had been coming down with a serious head cold. He rested Sunday, but Monday was back working on Stephan and Karen's house. When I went there for the weekly dinner, my phone was dying so I only managed to get one photo of the progress.

I borrowed this photo from Karen's blog to show what Michael has been doing all week. He cut the metal siding to fit and install around the nine windows. The urgency is to complete all the high work with the lift and avoid renting the expensive equipment for another week.

Michael is unstoppable, even when fighting a cold. If he was home and it wasn't raining, he found time to mow. Look closely and you will see him in this pic.

Robotics slowed down considerably, which allows him to give so much time to the house-building.

Meanwhile, I try to make the most of all the time alone, walk most days, meet with friends, write and more.

Jane and I enjoyed the rhododendrons and other blooms on our walk together Tuesday to the bridge over the Mississinewa River.

Wednesday was Michael's 50+27 birthday, as he prefers to call it,emphasis on the 50! He caught up with me, but I cannot keep up with him! He worked all day, of course. So, I invited Moriah to stop by for a quiet evening. We played an extension of Splendor, and we let him win! ;-)

We heard from our other girl, happy to be reunited with her family and enjoying her assistant editor internship job.

Kendra and little sister Katie; Kendra, Katie and Zach

When I visited Leah on Thursday, I was introduced to three new kittens. She runs a well organized cat maternity hospital!

On my daily walks, I see interesting sights. Honeysuckle always reminds me of childhood, sucking the honey from the blossom. On a rainy day, I found this interesting puddle. Best of all is the time to think and pray.

Sam has been working on his house to finish and make it PERFECT (he has very high standards!), but now it is for sale as they plan to move nearer to the Greenfield schools area where Kristie works.

House for Sale

After many weeks of fewer TV evenings (or at least ones when we were awake enough to watch an entire episode) we finally finished the Foyle's War series.

This week I also listened to Eric Metaxas' biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer--powerful warning for our times.

Pauses and Birthdays

From cousin Karin's inexhaustible flower garden: a dahlia front center; vanilla-strawberry and lavender-purple hydrangeas; and zinnias. She wanted me to notice the floral design on the crystal vase.

In our more wild Indiana context, I was delightfully surprised by the appearance of this yellow lily. The bulbs were a wedding favor some years ago. This lone lily got mixed in with the iris transplants to an area by the mailbox.

Theme of the week: the looming deadline for delivery of 100 table dividers to a local school. Michael has been working on the project steadily all week with occasional help.

We were invited to join "old" friends (emphasis on the more than 50 years of friendship) vacationing with their daughter and family in Northern Indiana--an idyllic setting by a chain of lakes. We were so grateful for the getaway. The peaceful boat ride delighting in the beauty of God's creation and the fellowship were so refreshing, like a mini-vacation.

Wednesday, August 5, was our lovely daughter-in-law Karen's 45th birthday. There was no major celebration. I think she prefers it that way. I chose these Front and Back representative photos from her FB page. (Yes, she is an English teacher. How did you guess?)

Another delightful reprieve from daily routines and pressures, was a long walk with my dear friend to see the progress on their new home.

We've also enjoyed Moriah's occasional visits during her lunch break. Friday, August 7, we celebrated her 22nd birthday. (Interestingly, I realized that morning that my mother-in-law would have been 104. She's been gone 16 years.)

Moriah has been working this summer with engineering profs on a project that sometimes involves using machines in the shop adjacent to the robotics shop. (Don't let the Ball State t-shirt confuse you, she is definitely a Taylor University senior!)

Another birthday celebration was great granddaughter Rebecca's. She actually had two parties, to accommodate both sides of the family, and supposedly maintain social distancing. Shows you how many family fans Rebecca has! 

Matt and Kayla are amazing hosts. They prepared a feast both times. And even had two theme birthday cakes!

I attended on the wrong day, Matt's side of the family on Saturday, because we had other plans Sunday. And I only stayed for an hour. Then I drove to Winona Lake Park for Global Auto's summer picnic. 

I was so grateful for the invitation because I hadn't seen my brother since Mother's funeral.

Raquel, Alan's wife, did an excellent job of organizing this first annual picnic to honor and celebrate the Global Auto team. They've come through a very difficult season due to the multiple decisions and changes required by the pandemic. (Sorry that the photo does not include one of the main team members. He had already left with his family.)

Michael was not there. Saturdays are sacred to him. He cannot miss the opportunity to enjoy long rides with a group of bicycling fanatics. This time it was 98 miles and through some Amish areas.

He learned this week that all his exercising is paying off. The lung doctor, at his annual checkup for Sarcoidosis, said that his numbers are above average for his age! 

The Monday deadline for the table dividers loomed impossible! So, Michael was up at dawn and put in four hours of work at the shop before church.

Then in the afternoon we were privileged to attend a beautiful wedding. The whole experience was another refreshing pause that lifted our spirits.

We have interesting connections with the young couple's families. The father of the bride (front row next to big hat) grew up in a missionary family in the same denomination as my parents! The mother of the bride (blue dress bottom photos) was the college roommate of our dear OM coworkers!

The groom was born in the Dominican Republic when his parents were missionaries there. We share the Spanish language. Both families are part of our church community!

If you've read this far, thank you! One added reflection from this week: I received an old photo of my maternal grandmother's family. I realized that I knew nothing of my great grandmother, either because I had forgotten or never heard anything about her. She died 11 months after my mother's birth which means my mother did not really know her either. As a great grandmother myself now, I suddenly became very interested. I will have to write more about these ancestors sometime. For now here is the photo from the early 1900s.

Bottom left: my grandmother Esther Z Sprunger, next to my great grandmother Caroline

2013 Week 26: En breve...

Continuing last week's entry and briefly summarizing week 26:

On my way out of town I visited with SIL Sharon and their unruly Rilla! I was blessed to go for a walk (or was it a run?) with them through the neighborhood.

Rilla, unusually sedate

Rilla started obedience school this week :-). Sharon has surgery tomorrow :-(.

Monday - Wednesday

Enjoying the assortment of wildflowers, some gardening, watering the neighbors' plants...

...and the quiet days to completely recover, process our European experience, and write.

I did not go on the planned family + camping trip. As it turned out only four of our family went and there were six others who joined them, friends who have become close to us through Stephan's Monday Night Meals. They had a good time, but said it would have been better had I been there. (Nice to feel needed ;-)

Thursday
A fun day with granddaughter Kayla at her Ball State University orientation for transfer students.

Mike was back home when I arrived in the afternoon. :-)

Friday
The highlight was a surprise retirement celebration breakfast for my dear friend Jane.

Saturday
Errands and events...
Enjoyed a couple of the gardens included in the local garden club tour.

Love Endures Forever

Of the 300+ varieties of lilies, I think this may have been my favorite, may be its name.

In the evening we had a small dinner with Matt and Kayla to celebrate his June birthday, belatedly, as we were out of the country.

That was our week en breve.

Beauty in many forms

The theme that stood out to me for this week is that of beauty--the beauty of family and friends; sunshine and nature; artistic expression; and the body of Christ.

Sunday we met our friends for dinner at the Potawatomi Inn part-way for both of us. We were on the same team in Germany forty years ago and later in Austria.

Potawatomi Inn

Dennis, Donna, Rita, Mike

Monday, when I took my friend over after Zumba class, to see what was going on in the Pottery room at the Red Barn, there was quite a crowd and a lot going on. Fortunately for Michael, the ones who've been coming regularly know what they are doing and he mainly has to attend to the new ones.

After several days of watching the tornado devastation in Southern Indiana, Mike decided to go help. So, very early Tuesday he took off for Henryville. Later that morning he called and asked me to take his broken chainsaw in to Muncie for repair and wait for it. They had a lot of work lined up but I think because of the urgent need they had it ready in a few hours. Meanwhile I went to Hobby Lobby and fell in love with an item of garden decor.

While Mike is clearing debris, I am thinking how to decorate our new home. Quite a contrast.

Wednesday our contractor/friend came by, checking on final details, and I caught this picture out the kitchen window.

 Except for that first day of the week, we have had beautiful sunny weather, though blustery at times.

Thursday, Mike and a few other guys went back to Henryville and it rained all day! They worked hard anyway.
I kept to my home duties and exercise schedule, which now includes water aerobics twice a week. I managed to get this photo as the women were leaving the pool.

BTW, did you know it was International Woman's Day? I didn't until I saw many greetings sent via Facebook, mainly by my Hispanic friends. They seem to remember and be up on all those celebrations.
Mike got back, soaked and filthy, in time for a shower and an evening with friends. They brought the dessert--yogurt parfaits.

The day wasn't over, however. Sculptor-son Stephan came to help his dad perfect the sculpture he is working on.

Friday I looked out and saw deer grazing, always a lovely sight.

Taylor students came over Saturday afternoon and we had a cookout, first of the season.

We told them about the picnic there the day after the house fire.

We could not linger, however, as later that evening Kayla had a dance performance in Anderson. It was great to be able to take Leah to enjoy the evening, watch the gala performance, and especially get to chat with Kayla before and after.

We had looked at coffee tables earlier in the week and later decided which one best fit in with our decor.
I also picked up some decorative plants, albeit artificial. What do you think?