Friday, November 30, 2012

Loss

This week I am late in posting.  I really try to do this early in the week but this week got away from me.  Yesterday I got "the call" from my sister that our mother had passed away unexpectedly.  She was 88 and had been in a nursing home for a few years with advancing Alzheimer's.   The last time I was there she did not know my sister and I. 

Although I am sad she is gone it seems as if I have been mourning her for years.  As her thinking became more fragmented and muddled and she forgot daily skills such as walking, each resulted in new mourning.  We lost our mother months ago, its just that her body continued working.

She was of that generation that just kept moving forward.  Four years ago she fell down the stairs and broke her hip.  That injury, which is usually the beginning of the end for many older folks, was the start of her downward spiral.  First to go were her physical abilities and later her thinking and memory. 

When I got the call from my sister we both had a laugh/cry about what was it like for our mother when she stepped out of this world and into heaven.  My mother was a woman of deep faith so I know that she is with the Lord right now.  I just wonder at that moment when this life ended and her eternal life began what was it like?  We had prayed for the end of her pain, confusion and limited abilities.  We just were surprised that it happened so quickly and quietly.

She left this life on her terms.  I know I will see her again when my life is completed.

Mother, I hope heaven is all you imagined it would be and more.  You were loved and you will be missed.  

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Thanksgiving week 2012

Thanksgiving is here.  I spent time in the grocery store this week buying what we need for our Thanksgiving dinner.  We are going non-traditional this year with Turkey Cordon Bleu and Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes.  I will let you know how they turn out. 

It seems like Thanksgiving has almost been overshadowed with holiday shopping and Black Friday sales.  I'm trying not to get caught up in all the excitement of shopping.  With a grandson being born in February I have other things to focus on other than whether I can get the best deal on something at Target or somewhere else. 

I enjoy Thanksgiving because it is a chance to gather with friends and family and enjoy everyone before all the craziness of Christmas and the holidays.  I love the cooking and food and sharing of time and stories and love. 

Enjoy your Thanksgiving weekend.  I will be thinking of everyone on Friday morning (or Thanksgiving evening) who are checking out the sales.  I will enjoy this week but also am looking forward to the lights, smells and sounds of the Christmas season (as well as the Winter Solstice). 

Monday, November 12, 2012

Weather, football, Thanksgiving (Gratitude Part 3)

First of all I am so happy the election is over.  Here in Indiana we were inundated with commercials and mailings for our highly contested senatorial race.  My sister who lives in Ohio has said that someone else can be the battleground state next time.  In addition to non-stop commercials she said they had 6 - 10 phone calls a night from special interest groups as well as people walking the neighborhoods trying to influence their votes.  I told her Ohio needs to become either Republican or Democrat and stop being so wishy-washy about who they support.  So I am grateful the votes have been cast, results tabulated and winners announced.  I'm especially grateful to see commercials for Black Friday sales rather than candidates. 

This last weekend my husband and I went to Oxford Ohio for a football and hockey game on Saturday at Miami University (our alma mater).  It was a beautiful day for football.  Everyone kept saying that they could not believe it was November because it was sunny and warm all day.  Of course in the usual manner of the Midwest today we had a combination of snow and rain (called a wintery mix by the weather forecasters) and now it is sunny and cold.  As they say in Indiana if you don't like the weather just wait, it will change.  I am so happy to have the change of the seasons to enjoy. I know all my Florida friends and family will be talking about their wonderful warm weather in winter but I'll take the change of seasons any day - even winter. 





This is a photo of my husband and me with "Swoop" the Miami University mascot.    This weekend we enjoyed three hockey games and a football game.  I definitely had a sports overload this last weekend.  Oh well, it was a fun weekend although I may need a vacation to recover from my weekend.  
 
Can you believe next week is Thanksgiving?  I was talking to someone today and realized I needed to make a decision about cooking Thanksgiving dinner or doing something else.  I will probably go ahead and cook.  It's always fun to organize myself and get a festive meal done that everyone enjoys.  It gives me a chance to test my baking skills also. 

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Election Day! (Gratitude Part 2)

In the United States it is election day.  I am so grateful to live in a country where we can participate in the political process and the governing of ourselves.  Even though I am totally finished with all the political ads and mail and political rants by my friends on Facebook I am still grateful that we are all able to to this out in the open.

Today Facebook is full of friends who are reporting they have voted and companies which are encouraging people to get out to vote.  When I taught my class this morning one of the topics we discussed was who had voted already and who planned to vote later in the day.

It's exciting to see our government change following an election. The passage of power from person to person and party to party in a manner that is civil is an incredible sight and a tribute to the genius of our founding fathers.

So today I am grateful for our political freedom and the ability to freely voice our opinions.  You may be shouted down by someone who has a different political leaning yet that freedom to be able to have our exchanges of ideas is also something for which I am grateful. 

If you have not done it already get out and vote.  You never know when one vote will make the difference in an election.  As you are standing in line take a minute to be grateful for the right to have your voice be heard in our governing process by casting your ballot. 

Friday, November 2, 2012

Gratitude

It seems like November is the month for gratitude.  I am seeing people posting things for which they are grateful on Facebook and in blogs.  One of my favorite authors, Liz Flaherty, is doing a daily gratitude list on Facebook.  So I thought I would start my November posts with my own list of things for which I am grateful. 

This is a wonderful time of year to be thinking about the things for which we give thanks.  Within the rhythm of life we are celebrating the harvests and getting ready for the cold days of winter.  As a lifelong resident of the Midwest I am grateful for the change of seasons.  The weather may change within a matter of hours yet there is nothing better than the chilly snap of a Fall day or the new growth of Spring.  I am even grateful for Winter because it allows us time to gather together on cold, dark nights and enjoy our own company as family and friends. 

I am grateful for family and friends.  I am also grateful for my faith, knowing that I am not alone on this journey through life.  I have a wonderful husband and we are still in love after over 30 years of marriage.   My son is doing well in his career and is in a fantastic relationship with a young woman I love.  My first grandchild will be born in February. 

I am grateful for an employer which allows me to work on my doctorate as well as gives me opportunities to grow and develop as a person.  I love coming to work most days because I am immersed in the culture of education and get to experience the joys and frustrations of my students' journeys. 


So think about those things for which you are grateful.  Take a few minutes every day to say "thanks" for all the things in your life you often overlook.  You may find that you become more of a "glass half full" than a "glass half empty" type of person when you focus on the things that make your life a little better. 

Back to Liz Flaherty, if you want to read a wonderful book get her novel "One More Summer"  I'm so glad I have it on my e-reader because it is a book I will read many times.