Another Year...

Today is my mom's birthday, and I'm surprised at how quickly another year has slipped away. Mom would have been 76, and has been gone almost 11 years. I still miss her, and yet she remains close in my thoughts and my heart. I love this photo of her, and thought I'd share it again. I originally shared it in this previous post... Two Years of Blogging

My Beautiful Mom...

Looking forward...

This is my oldest son's birthday.  It doesn't seem possible 27 years have passed since the day I first held him in my arms and looked at his sweet little face.  He was a blessing to us then and still is!  He brings so much joy and laughter into our lives!

I'm surprised it's been two months since my last post.  What a fun, busy summer it's been.  When I last posted, my family was on our way to the Oregon Coast.  It was amazing!  We were fortunate to grab the last room in Cannon Beach, with an ocean view.  Even with a very rainy first day, it was wonderful to sit with the sliding doors open and just enjoy the sight, and the sound, of the Pacific Ocean.

My list of goals for the summer didn't diminish as much as I'd hoped, but some were accomplished.  I continued to work on scanning photos and documents for my family tree.  I did quite a bit of summer reading, but did not make it through my entire list.  That's ok though.  I just moved them to my autumn/winter reading list!  I also did a bit of writing, though I could use more discipline in that area.

My husband and I finished the dining table we were working on, and I love the way it turned out.  We also repainted our main bathroom, though we still need to update the fixtures in there.  

The summer weight loss goals got sidelined due to a couple health "hiccups" and medication changes.  I continue to work with my doctors to find new ways to keep the MS at bay.  One day at a time.

I plan to get back to regular blogging since summer is winding down, sons are back at their studies, and I've missed the writing.  I'm looking forward to cooler, autumn days, and all they bring... holidays, family gatherings, change... 

© 12Sep2013 ajjahner

Remembering Grandpa

Sending birthday greetings heavenwards, to my grandpa!  He was born 100 years ago today!  I'm sitting here on this snowy morning, sipping a cup of hot coffee, and reflecting on my years with my grandpa.  What a sweet, amazing man he was.  He made such a difference in my life.

I stayed with my grandparents off and on from the day I was born, then permanently when I was just 8 years old.  I'm not going to write a long story about him, just a few descriptive words...

• grandpa, father
• minister, man of tremendous faith, believed in the power of prayer
• loved his family, proud of every new addition to it
• loved me unconditionally 
• looked for the best in people 
• taught me to be generous
• sang in his beautifully off-key voice with joy 
• loved to laugh, and his laughter was contagious
• loved nature, gardening, birds
• always made time for people
• dressed well, even when spending the day at home
• had beautiful handwriting
• loved words and learning
• remembered your name...

I always expected grandpa would live well beyond his 100th birthday.  He loved life, and this beautiful world we live in.  He had a vision for a better, more peaceful world.  I still carry the same hope in my heart.  

Wishing each of you joy and hope.  

Wishing grandpa a very Happy Birthday.  I will always remember...

Thinking of Dads...

I haven't done very well with this months NaBloPoMo.  The theme this month is Relative.  Sadly, my reasons are family related.  My father-in-law is still in the hospital.  It's been 13 days now.  My husband has made two trips to see him, and plans to go again soon.  He and his sister are trying to coordinate visits.  It's a really difficult thing to be so far away. 

Today is also my dad's birthday.  He's been gone for many years, but I always think of him on his birthday.  I still miss him.  Sending "Happy Birthday" wishes heavenward!  If your dad is still around, give him a phone call or a great big hug today...

Day 30 - Beginnings, My Lil Sis

All dressed up for church

Today is my little sis's birthday! I remember the day she was born.  We were at church, and someone had to leave to drive my mom to the hospital.  I stayed at church with my grandparents.  After the service was over, we drove to the hospital.  Only adults were allowed to go up to see a new baby, so I waited downstairs with a friend or relative.  That was the beginning of my life with my sis.

I sat here last night, letting my mind drift over the years.  We have lived through so many things together.  I'm not going to list them here, but there have been joys and there have been sorrows.  We have laughed, cried, fought, loved, rejoiced, grieved, survived... we have shared our lives.  I can't imagine what life would have been without her.  I don't even want to!  I do want to wish her a very Happy Birthday!

I'm still here...

Busy life these days.  I've been getting over a cold, working on projects, making Christmas shopping lists.  My 55th birthday came and went.  It was a good day, other than being a bit under the weather.  This birthday made me very reflective about my life, because my dad passed away at 55 from cancer.  When it happened, I thought he was way too young to be gone.  Nothing has made that more clear than reaching 55 myself.  I have so much life I still want to live... so many things waiting to be done.  It's a wake-up call to get with it.  Make time for the people I love.  Do the things I've been putting off.  Appreciate every day that I'm given.  I'm so thankful for my life, my family, my friends.  Wishing each of you a Happy Thanksgiving!

Time passed so very quickly...

It's been a busy week, but I just wanted to say "Hello" to all!  My oldest son celebrated his "quarter century" birthday on Monday.  How can that be? It seems like yesterday I was waiting for his arrival.

And soon he'd arrived...

I can't post all the photos that are precious to me, but here's one I love...

My son has given us so many moments of Joy... and still does!  He makes this world a brighter, better place, and I am a better person for having known him.  I am blessed!

Happy Birthday Dad...

I was about a year old when this was taken.

Grandpa & Grandma (who raised me) and my Daddy

I still miss my dad.  Today is his birthday.  My dad didn't play a big role in my life, but you couldn't help loving him.  He was funny, interesting, and well... I was always told I was stubborn, just like him.  It's true... I am! 

I loved to hear him sing... he sounded a little like Merle Haggard, and he had a great laugh.  He's been gone for almost 21 years... seems like only a moment ago.  Gone, never forgotten.  Sending love heavenward...

A Happy Fourth... and a Happy Birthday!

Wishing each of you a Happy Independence Day!  It's a time to remember, and to celebrate our Freedoms.  I hope you are having a glorious weekend with family and friends.  

I also want say "Happy Birthday" to my cousin, Deborah!  You're the original firecracker! 

This is a free image from Dover.  Click on it to save a copy for yourself. 

Love and Blessings to all! 

Happy 18th Birthday to my Lucky 13!

I posted a "mother" poem yesterday.  Today, I am celebrating my baby's 18th birthday.  He is no baby... actually, never really was after about the age of two.  He has always seemed "tuned in to the world around him.  He had those eyes... brown, dark, people said "He looks at you like an old soul" and, he did. Our Lucky 13... EJ, he learned so easily, reading when he was barely 4 years old. Well, that's when he told me he could read!  I didn't believe him and picked up a book.  "Read this then" I said.  He read it all, smoothly and clearly, and every other page I picked out.  I was stunned!  

 My little Lucky 13 and I... a long time ago

We had always read to him, even his big brother had pointed out words to him.  Sometime before the day he told me he could read, he had drawn a cat on their little blackboard and spelled "cat".  When he showed it to me, I asked how he knew how to spell it... "My brain told me" he replied.  


Even without those things, our youngest is special to his family and his friends.  He's weathered a lot of loss, illness, and more in his 18 years.  He keeps those things to himself.  I believe he has an inner strength that he doesn't even fully realize yet.  

Here he is fishing with his older brother and Grandpa

He has so much creativity.  He has a wonderful, unique sense of humor.  He has a talent for music.  I always loved hearing him play his Cello.  He doesn't play as often, but still loves music.


I know folks get weary of hearing people brag on their children, so please indulge me today... this wonderful day, as I look back over the years.  If my own PC wasn't down today, I'd be posting a lot of pictures.  I'm using EJ's PC, and there very few photos on it yet.  Anyway, I want to say how blessed I am.  I prayed for children years ago, after being told I might never have them.  God gave me two wonderful sons, different and yet, so alike.


My family has been blessed by having our Lucky 13 in our lives.  God knew we needed this child... who is now a man, in our lives.  Happy Birthday son!  Our "Lucky 13"!

Happy Birthday Little Sis!

I want to wish my little sis a Very Happy Birthday!  I can't believe we're both in our 50's.  Where did the days go?  It seems only yesterday that we were little girls playing Barbies, Checkers, and pretending to be members of the Starship Enterprise! 

We fought, as sisters will do,

but what I remember is that we loved each other...

defended each other... and we still do.

I hope this is a year of wishes and dreams

coming true for you!

I pray for your home to be filled

with happiness, peace, and love.

May God not only bless you,

but may He light the path before you...

so that each step of your journey

is a step toward the best life holds for you.

Love you so much!

Have a Happy Birthday!

 

A Wonderful Day...

Well, I'm 53. Does it sound old to you? Does to me. I still think of myself as I was in my early 40's, although the aches and pains do remind me, often enough, that I'm not.

I've had a lot of birthday cards and well wishes. Such fun to hear from friends. My husband took the day off to spend with me. He's making me a Gooseberry Pie... Yummy, and also a Pineapple Upside-down Cake for the rest of the family. Nobody else likes Gooseberry... unbelievable that I raised two boys who have no hankering for gooseberries! Where did I go wrong? Oh well... all the more for me.

It's a gorgeous, sunny autumn day here in the Northwest. Our trees dropped their leaves during the past few days, and I mean dropped! There is a huge raking job waiting for us, if the wind doesn't carry some of them down the road or over to the neighbors (won't they love us). Oh! There are some racing down the street now!

I got a package in the mail Saturday! My Autumn Banner from Miss Sandy at Quill Cottage. It's beautiful! I hung it in my entry over my mirror. There were two pretty tags included, and it was wrapped in a cloth ribbon. It made my day! I smile every time I walk by it.

Please visit Miss Sandy at Quill Cottage... just click on the highlighted name. That will take you to the post about the banner. Sandy has also included a very detailed Tutorial so you can create a banner for yourself. Be sure to visit her home page and see her many other beautiful creations.

Sending you a huge "Thank You" Miss Sandy!

I love my banner!

"Happy Birthday, Dear Kevin..."

Happy Birthday Kevin!

I can't believe you are 51... I also can't believe I missed doing this for your 50th. That's what happens when your older cousin gets really old!

This is one of my favorite pictures of you. You were such a sweet little guy, and you haven't changed.

You are a person with heart, commitment, and full of love for your family, friends, and students. You are one of my very favorite people, and I wish you joy today and every day!

Love and Blessings!
Jo

Happy Birthday Dear Son...

It's hard to believe my firstborn is now 23 years old. Here are a couple of my favorite pictures of MJ when he was very young...

How he loved to sing!

Isn't he the cutest thing! He had a train conductor hat that matched his OshKosh overalls!

I know it's an overused cliche, but time really does fly by. It seems to go faster the older I get. We had a nice family dinner, just the four of us. PJ brought home "the works" from one of our favorites, the Hong Kong Restaurant. It was just as wonderful as I remembered. Grandpa and Grandma took our little family there many times after a Sunday morning service. We had the Spanish Chow Mien along with our meal, in their honor. It was delicious! Later, we'll have one of MJ's favorite cakes... Lemon Poppy Seed Bunt Cake with Lemon Frosting. Since my hand has a wrap on till tomorrow night, PJ made the cake and I made the frosting. We got done with presents in time for MJ to turn on the BSU football game. I hope it's a win tonight! That would be the topping on the birthday celebration! Go BSU!

I love you son! May this be the start of another wonderful year for you...

"and many moooore..."

Happy Birthday Uncle Burt!

Well, this is a few hours after the fact but I hope you had a splendid birthday!

My Uncle Burt is one of my faithful readers (yes, I am talking about him as if he weren't reading this). In fact, he is one of the few special people in my life who supported and encouraged my writing. He is not only my uncle, but was my Pastor for many years. When our church newsletter position became vacant, he offered me the privilege of writing it. I did this for about 7 years, and I am sure it blessed me even more than my readers.

It was a way to put my writing skills to work, it challenged me to read more scripture (to support the subject I was writing about), it lifted my spirit as I studied and prayed for divine inspiration; I am changed as a result of being trusted with the job of writing and publishing the newsletter.

My uncle poured his life into service for God, and his love for his wife and family. He took on the major role of keeping watch over his parents in their old age. He still visits his mother, my Grandma Martha, on a regular basis making sure her needs are attended to. Even when life gets difficult, he holds on to his faith in God and his sense of humor!

I could never list all the things he has done for me, and for others. Even now, when he could be sitting back just relaxing in his retirement years, he is often found painting, repairing, and putting his skills into the maintenance of our church building. And he does it with joy!

My Dear Uncle, I can never thank you enough for all you have done for me over the years. For the prayers, the trust, the caring, the love. You have blessed me...

May God continue to use you, bless you, and strengthen your body with healing! Happy Birthday and blessings in the year ahead of you!

With much love,
AJ

Oh, click Here to see an old photo of Uncle Burt with his brothers & sister.

It's My Lil Sis's Birthday!

Today is my Lil Sis's birthday!

She's the dark haired beauty in the "Back Country" T-shirt.

The other lovely lady is her friend in Scotland.

Happy Birthday Sis!

Happy 16th Birthday, Lucky 13!

Today I want to wish my "baby" a very Happy 16th Birthday!!!

Where does the time go? It seems only yesterday that he was toddling around with his musical Barney, singing "I love you, you love me..." Barney is almost a curse word now. Just hearing the name makes him, and his brother, cringe in horror! I have an adorable picture of him with his Barney, but since my computer and scanner are not working I'll have to post some pictures at a later date. I'm using Lucky 13's computer till mine can see a doctor.

My youngest has grown in to an amazing young man. He's smart, caring, funny and loving. He is a blessing to our family. Here's a quote dedicated to my son. I love the message. It's been floating around the internet and has been credited to Saint Theresa.

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received,

and pass on the love that has been given to you...

May you be content knowing you are a child of God...

Let this presence settle into your bones, and allow your soul

the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

- Saint Theresa's Prayer