Jim at 67.
We celebrated Jim this weekend. Emily made an apple pie. We went out to dinner and played games. Today is Jim’s birthday. I wonder what life would be like if he was still here. I wish He was. The longer I live without him and the more of his birthdays I celebrate without him the…
November 5th
This is a day seared into my memory forever. It is that mix of complete devastation and holy moments. It was a blend of wanting complete privacy and needing to allow everyone else to say their goodbyes. It is the worst day of my life and the hardest one I have ever known. It is…
63
Today is my Birthday! I got a day off from work so I took the car for an oil change, did yard work, talked with my financial advisor, called the DMV for my folks, took stuff to Good Will, made scones and talked to a variety of friends. Then I went on a coupon spending…
The Other Woman part 2
Once upon a time, aka 30 years ago, my husband fell in love with another woman. Actually, that is not quite accurate – it was a female child. When September 3rd had just begun, so began the in-person relationship between Jim and Emily that had begun to develop as an idea many years earlier in…
What I learned from marriage
42 years ago I said “I do”. I was only married for part of my life because Jim joined the great cloud of witnesses after we hit #30. But even though I have been “single” for the last 12 years I do not feel “single”. I still feel my sweet Jim’s presence in so many…
The Other Woman
I am no longer the main woman in Clayton’s life. I have actually known this for a year. And I knew it would eventually happen. I even have prayed for it and yet now it is a bittersweet reality. My son shares his heart with someone else. She makes him happy. She asked me recently…
Brothers & Sisters
Yesterday my best friend’s older sister died. Her older brother died a couple years ago leaving her the oldest. Being a big brother or sister is a huge responsibility. It is a place of influence. In fact parents, at least my parents, held me responsible for any punishable offense by the mere tattle of one…
Happy Father’s Day
My dad is slowly shuffling toward home. I alternate emotions often as I spend time with him. I am always proud and honored to be called his daughter but I am also sad to watch this intelligent and strong man decline as time marches on. I am not in denial over the reality that he…
It’s Father’s Day Tomorrow!
This is the 12th year we have not had Jim to celebrate! I am thinking about my kids and the amazing dad they have. He was taken from our everyday lives but His memory and impact live on. I am grateful; most of our memories of him are happy. We celebrate and miss him at…
Work Anniversary
We used to say we worked in decades. We spent 10 years in Downey, Scottsdale and Illinois. Now I have spent 10 years on staff in Fullerton. The church has changed its name and pastors more than once during that time. I have changed offices, job responsibilities, had a ridiculous number of “bosses” and said…