Oops... It's Poetry Month...

First of all, how did April get here so fast? I was going to have some new poems written, or have some favorite poems and poets picked out, to grace my blog for the month. Did not get any of it done. I'll try to get some up by first of next week.

My mind is swirling with all the things I need to accomplish in the next 6 weeks. My youngest, EJ, is graduating from college! I didn't even think to get a formal photo done. I really stink at these kinds of things. He didn't think of it either... nut...tree... you get it, so he took a selfie for the college yearbook photo. That's how we roll! Haha!

I'm trying to pull together a plan for celebrating this wonderful milestone in his life, choose the venue, get announcements quickly ordered, and figure out how to make myself look at least 40 lbs. slimmer for the expected family photos... just a tiny miracle or two will be needed to pull it all off! Thankfully, EJ is a very laid back fellow and really doesn't want a big party. Something simple, with only the closest friends and family. It still raises my anxiety a bit, but in a good way. I'm really looking forward to this next step in his life's journey!

Farewells...

This week is a farewell to a beloved great uncle. He was 98 years old, lead an amazing life, and was loved and admired by those who knew him. He leaves behind a huge extended family, including a total of 93 grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren. His legacy extended beyond family and into our community. For me personally, he always had a big smile and a twinkle in his eye. I still remember going out fishing on his boat when I was about 9 or 10. I only caught a squawfish (I believe they may be called pikeminnow now) which nobody wanted to eat, but he made a big deal of it, pointing out it's huge size and making me feel so special. Farewell, uncle Arvad, you will be missed.

My sons both start back to classes next week. The youngest will be packing tomorrow in preparation for his move back to campus on Friday. I've enjoyed the summer with both sons home. Seems like it just flew by, and autumn is just around the corner.

Farewell to the ease of summer break, long days, late night conversations, and hello to new schedules, life changes, and my favorite season. Can't wait for the frost, the golden leaves, and the bright orange pumpkins!


© 27Aug2015 ajj

Family Time

It's been a wonderful week.  My youngest has been home on break from college, but heads back to the dorms tomorrow.  My oldest son has had some time to drop in and visit this week, which has been fun.  They're both spending the night. and I'm loving it.

I started sorting through some old photos, earlier in the week, I thought had been lost forever.  They were safely in an album, in a storage box, that I'd shoved into the back corner of a closet.  I definitely need one dedicated space for photos, but I have so many that it's very hard to do.  My son suggested scanning all of them and putting them in the internet "cloud" so I'll always have access.  But, what happens if that "cloud" disappears or malfunctions?  Yes, I'm a skeptic!  I may have to give it a try though.

I haven't been able to do any creative writing for a while.  Just have a mind-block I guess.  I read about a well-known author who took a long break when that happened to her.  She just spent months reading every book she could get her hands one, enjoying the journey of other people's stories.  Afterwards, her head cleared and she was able to get back to her writing.  I thought it was worth a try, so I've finished two and a half books this past month.  One is a collection of short mysteries, and the other two are the most recent Agatha Raisin mysteries by M. C. Beaton.  I'm still not ready to write, so I'm splitting my reading time between The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Treasure Island, and another light mystery called Crunch Time by Diane Mott Davidson.

It's been wonderful being able to read again.  I'm still doing the eye meds and drops, and still delaying the start of the new drug with the vision/heart risks.  I just have too much living to do right now, so I'll think about it later on.  For now, I'm just enjoying each day as it comes!

Welcome Autumn!

What a busy summer it was, and I'm so happy to officially welcome autumn!  We are still suffering from the terrible fires in the surrounding mountains.  I live in the Boise area, and we often get inversions, so the smoke has just settled in.  It's like living in a murky, suffocating fog.  I'm hoping for a cleansing rain to come our way, and soon!

I didn't get any yard or craft projects finished this summer, my writing went on the back burner again, and I just don't know where the time went or what I did with it.  If I'd been blogging more faithfully, maybe that would give me a clue.  Oh well, I had some fun with my boys before they started school.  Both are happy in their choices.  One at BSU and the other at College of Idaho.  The empty nest thing is both wonderful and a little lonely at times, but they are both very near to home so they can drop in for visits.

I picked out an old photo to play with... "Autumn Leaves" which I tweaked with an "Ink Sketch" application.  I really like how it turned out.

I wanted to put a new image up for my header, but I can't get my photos sized correctly, or centered, so I decided to go with just the name for now.  You ignore blogging for a while, and you forget all your skills!  Hopefully, I'll get back into the groove very soon!  Have a glorious "first day of autumn" and many happy days to come!

Move In Day!

Tomorrow is "Move in day" for my youngest son.  Even though he won't be terribly far away, it's going to be so strange to have an empty nest.  My emotions have been on a crazy roller coaster for the past two weeks. I felt well enough to get out and make a couple "dorm shopping" trips with him.  Fun!  He and my husband are out on the very last shopping excursion, as we forgot new sheets, a lamp, and a shower caddy... rather important items!

This was from our visit to the campus last July!

Being the OCD personality that I am, I've had to wash every new item purchased.  I lost count of how many loads of laundry I've done in the past two days, and as soon as those sheets come in the door they'll go right into the washer!  When I told my husband I had to wash our son's sleeping bag (it hadn't been used all year and was in a box in the garage), he just snorted. Honestly, I'm so lucky he puts up with me!  Anyway, it was in the dryer for an hour and still not dry, so I just draped it over two lawn chairs.  If any of nature's critters dirties that bag, there will be heck to pay!  It may have a slight wildfire smoky odor, but we've lived with the smoke smells for so long that EJ will probably not notice. It's got to be better than stale, garage odor... right?  He has to have it for the two day Wilderness Experience that all freshman are required to attend.  Praying that there will be no problems with wildfires or excessive smoke blowing over into the area they'll be in.  It's near McCall, Idaho, and is such a beautiful place!

My oldest, MJ!

My oldest son, MJ, started classes last Monday.  After working a few years, he decided it was time to get back to school.  He's studying at BSU, while working full-time.  I'm so happy for them, and so proud!  I still don't know where all the years have gone.  Friends are always asking me why my boys are so nice, and how did I get to be so lucky that they never gave me any trouble.  Well, I don't know.  PJ and I certainly did our best, but really, they are just kind-hearted, wonderful men.  I prayed for boys who would have kind hearts, like my grandpa and like their dad... my prayers were answered.

So many seasons, so many memories.  Too many to post, but here are a couple of photos from their childhood days...

So many summers...

And winters

I'll be back after the big move-in weekend, with some new memories made to add to the thousands I already hold in my heart, and I'll let you know how it went.

Dance

Sorry I've been absent.  My computer crashed and is beyond repair, so I'm waiting to get a new one.  My son loaned me his this evening, so I could check my email, blog, etc.

Life has been crazy.  Between traveling, family stuff, getting one son registered for college last week, and our other son registering for his college this week, I haven't had the energy to think about writing.  For the NaBloPoMo Prompt, I'm using the following poem.  I originally wrote it for a Sunday Scribblings challenge.  I love watching dancers, and dream of dancing, but am content to still be able to walk.  I hope you enjoy this:

In dreams I dance,
spinning effortlessly across the flour,
my soft dress fluently swirling
around me to the rhythm of the music.
Moving gracefully, lightly,
unencumbered by age and circumstance.
In dreams, I still dance.

© 07MAR2010 ajjahner

Live Well...

I am overwhelmed with emotions today.  It's snowing on this first day of spring.  My heart is still sad over the loss of my father-in-law, and all that we will never get to share with him.  We were waiting to have a graduation celebration, for my youngest, until spring.  He received his High School Diploma last autumn, but we wanted the weather to be nice so his grandpa might be able to come.

My father-in-law always wanted his grandsons to go to college.  My youngest received confirmation he was accepted into college two days after his grandpa's passing.  My oldest son had decided to return to college in the fall and was working on the paperwork.  We never got the chance to share any of this with their grandpa.  He would be so proud.

When loss comes, there are always things left unsaid, undone.  We move through the stages of loss and acceptance, and ultimately realize it wouldn't matter when the loss occurred.  We will always have more we wanted to share with those we loved.

The best tribute we can give is to live our lives fully, completely.  Just get out there.  Accomplish our dreams.  Live well.  Appreciate life, and love every day we are given.

 © 20MAR2012 aj