If I Wasn't Me I Would Want To Be Me

Oh yes! If I wasn't me, I would want to be me! Sara Beth, Sarah and Kara planned my birthday party with a St. Patrick's Day theme because of one reason and one reason only. Joe from Ireland was here. (Well, maybe it was also that the party was held on St. Patrick's Day) When Joe decided to come to America and visit us, we knew he would be here for my birthday. How special was that? But, had Joe not been here I would not have had a party. The girls made it happen. It was a beautiful shared day. The whole thing was just special!

My grandson, Joseph, who is in one picture with me was the first of the grandchildren to ever meet Joe. He saw Joe's name in my email address book and said, "We have the same name!" I think that was the start of a nice feeling for both Joseph and Joe.

Adam bought me the beautiful tapestry hanging below the mantle. He picked it out special after hearing my introduction of Joe at Sara Beth's school. It means one hundred thousand welcomes in Gaelic. I have looked at so many tapestries over the years. I love them. And, this one is not only beautiful, but it touches my heart. Sometimes, I get so filled with love I can hardly stand it!

The morning of my party, I came into the kitchen to see Adam and Sara Beth hovering over something. Adam said, "Come here, Mom!" Sara Beth had framed a picture of Joe and me standing on Medicine Lake near our home and the guests were to write something on the matting. It brought tears to my eyes.

The food....oh my goodness the food! The picture below shows the table in the beginning stages of being prepared. During the party my grandson, Christopher, said, "Gramma, this is a serious party!" And, it was!

People filled out name tags and wrote how they knew me on them. It was such a good idea! I hope you are able to see what some of the people wrote on their name tags. (If you click on the picture you should be able to see what people wrote) The name tags are filled with humor and love and memories.

The day just kept getting better. More tomorrow! Right now, I have my 9 year old granddaughter, Amelia, with me. She stayed overnight last night and needs a little of gramma's attention. We did have some fun this morning though making her brother, Josh's, birthday pies. Josh is our oldest grandchild. He turned 17 yesterday. Amelia was my helper and did such a good job! I'm not sure a gramma's work is ever done. Shhhhhh, I'm really glad!

Coming Amelia : )

The Magic Of Balloons And Sillouettes

I don't know why but I have always loved pictures of people taken from the back. There is something gentle and innocent and vulnerable about them. My party was winding down and I saw Parker and Kallsen looking out the side window watching the balloon. What is it about a balloon waving in the wind?

At one point during my party, Amelia and Joseph came up to me and said, "We have a confession gramma." I said, "What is it?" They said in almost unison, "We were playing with the balloons outside and one of them got away. We're sorry!" I said, because I really felt it, "That is ok. It will fly up to heaven to great grandma. Then she will be able to be a part of my party too!"

I wish I had thought of doing it myself.

I Am Loved

I haven't known where to start. I still don't. But, start I will.

I am loved. I am loved by family and friends. I am sitting in my house right now. It is quiet. The day is gray and overcast and I get to be alone with my thoughts.

On the morning of March 17, 2007 I was 64 years and one day old. I woke up early. No one else was up. Our son, Adam, and his family had arrived late the night before. The reason they had come to spend the weekend with us was because Sara Beth, my daughter-in-law, and my two daughters, Sarah and Kara, had planned a birthday party for me. Little did I know as I sat in my fireplace room as the sun came up, that I was going to have such a wonderful day!


Sara Beth, Sarah and Kara planned and executed the most wonderful and beautiful day anyone could have. I am loved and I can't thank you girls enough for all you did for me. I love you!

I will continue to share thoughts, feelings and pictures from my party in the next few days.

Joe Headlines In Estherville

On March 14 Tom, Joe and I traveled to Estherville, Iowa where our son and his family live. Our daughter-in-law, Sara Beth, teaches 6th grade in the small neighboring town of Armstrong. Sara Beth had just had her students do a unit on Ireland and asked Joe if he would come and be a guest speaker in her classroom. With smiles and maybe some initial trepidation Joe said, "Of course Sara Beth. I would love to do that." And, do that he did!

Joe stood in the front of perhaps 25 students, all of whom could not ask enough questions. Two reporters were there and the questions flew from both the children and the adults! The children wanted to know all kinds of things about Ireland and Joe fielded the questions with ease, humor and his natural charm, which I have now learned wins the hearts of young and old alike!

His presentation earned him front page status in the Estherville paper and we have yet to see what the Armstrong paper will do with the same story. I told Joe over and over how proud I was of him. He just smiled at me and said, "Judy, you would be proud of me if I said hi diddle diddle!"

I am still laughing!

What Boys And Girls Do

While talking to Sarah, Davey and Derek this morning, Davey informed us that boys fix things and girls check their email.

At 3 1/2 years old, he pretty much has life figured out!

First Day Of Site Seeing

On Saturday, March 10, Tom, Joe and I drove through some of the historical parts of Minneapolis and then headed off to Stillwater, an old, popular, small, quaint, sawmilling town. We had lunch at a beautiful restaurant called The Dock. It sits on the bank of the St. Croix River and even in the Minnesota winter, the scenery is beautiful as you can see. One of the special unexpected things for Joe was that we crossed the drawbridge and spent maybe a whole five minutes in Wisconsin. Joe is adding states to his visit as fast as we can make it happen.

On Tuesday, we will be heading to Iowa where Joe will be the guest speaker at my daughter-in-law's 6th grade classroom. They just did a unit on Ireland in February and the children will get to meet and talk to someone who was born and raised in Ireland.

It is wonderful to just watch Joe. He looks and looks at things and will occasionally say, "It just takes time to let it really sink in that I am in America...not just in America but in Minnesota." I know he is experiencing what I experienced when we visited Ireland. There really aren't words to describe the wonder of it. It is simply a wordless experience that is felt.

Joe Walks On Water

It is not common for lakes to freeze in Ireland. Joe mentioned yesterday that once in the 1940's one lake froze enough so that cars could drive across it. He was amazed that it is a common winter occurrence for lakes to freeze in Minnesota.

Joe and I are standing on Medicine Lake which is two blocks from my home.

Amazing....Absolutely Amazing

We are on our way to church this morning. But, before we go I wanted to put a couple pictures of Joe on so you could see some of what has amazed him ever since he has been in Minnesota.

In spite of the fact we still have maybe a foot of snow on the ground in some places, the weather has been beautiful. The sun has been shining, the sky has been blue and the temperature has been in the 40's.

Before we headed out for a day of touring yesterday I took these pictures of Joe on our front deck wearing short sleeves, looking at the snow, being under the blue sky, feeling the sun and simply enjoying the wonder of it all!

A Lovely Full Day

On Joe's first full day here, we spent the afternoon at my daughter, Sarah's, house. She prepared a beautiful dinner for us and Joe worked up an appetite playing with Davey and Derek. They couldn't get enough of him. In fact, when it was time for the little ones to go to bed and us to go home, Derek would have none of that. He cried and cried and called out, "Joe Joe Joe Joe'" until Joe finally went in and talked to him and rocked him a little bit. Finally, I think Derek fell asleep and his last words were something like, "Bye, Joe!"

Welcome To America Joe!

I can't believe it! Joe is here! Joe is in America! We started counting down at 139 days and in the blink of an eye we were picking him up at the airport on a beautiful 37 degree Minnesota winter evening. Even though we live half a world apart, he has always said he is just a day away. Yep...even though we are half a world and three airports apart, he is just a day away!

For those who don't know where Joe is from, he is from Ireland. Tom and I visited him last fall 2006. It was our first trip to Ireland, and this is Joe's first trip to America. Seeing our life and our world through his eyes and experience is really wonderful! I know we were told many times when we were in Ireland, that Joe, his friends and family would never look at their country in the same way. How easily we take for granted the beauty of where we live and the things we see each day.

Joe, we are so glad you are here!

I'm sorry Joe. I had to post the pictures even though you said, "Judy, no, no, no." After traveling for hours and navigating Dublin and Chicago O'hare, where I was concerned you might get lost, I think you have never looked better. You are alive, well, healthy and HERE!

Welcome to our home and our world!