Cell Phones And Fingers And Noses And Joe

People bond in their own way. Kallsen found his own way to bond with Joe. Joe let Kallsen play with his cell phone. And, best of all, Joe let Kallsen keep his finger in his nose for this picture, much to Sara Beth's chagrin. Sara Beth kept saying, "Kallsen, get your finger out of your nose." Joe just said, "It's ok, let him do it. It is what children do." Then Joe told the story of how his little grandson, Michael, used to pick his nose while sitting on Joe's lap. Michael used to wipe his finger off then on Joe's pants. Joe didn't mind. Nope, Joe didn't mind one little boogie bit.

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!

Winter White Winter Light

Winter came to Minnesota last night. We got nine inches at our house and the snow is making a beautiful blanket of white this morning. Tom went down to get the paper and took the yardstick with him. People will be out today shoveling and snowblowing their driveways and sidewalks. It will be hard work and I encourage everyone who must deal with the snow to be safe and take it easy.

Well, I Did It Because I Had To

The skid marks toward change have now become footsteps toward the future! (Judy)

Yep, I had to do it! My blogging site gave me no choice. A while back this blogging site offered us bloggers the new and improved version. I learned a long time ago that new and improved does not always mean new and improved. I wish I could remember the name of the cereal I just loved when my kids were small. It was something that had graham cracker squares in it or something. I just loved it! Then, one day, the new and improved version came out and I didn't like it nearly as well. So, my favorite cereal became just a distant and loved memory, and I had to move on to something else. So far, my blog looks the same and I have yet to explore new features that might make it even better. I will state clearly here for any of you who don't know me all that well yet...........I really don't like change unless it is my idea! Ok, so now I am laughing! I can hear my followers saying to themelves..."Whose world does she live in?" I can also hear the people who know me very well, saying......"She lives in her own world!"

Now, that I have taken the leap toward the new blogger I will be blogging again on a regular basis.

The skid marks toward change have now become footsteps toward the future! (Judy

Happy Birthday Mom....I Miss You!

Today is my mother's birthday. She was born January 9, 1914 and said good bye to us on January 6, 2001. She taught me so much about life and how to live with grace and dignity. The following quote arrived in my email this morning and I thought to myself, "How well this fits my mother!"

"The art of living lies less in eliminating our troubles than in growing with them." (Bernard Baruch)

Her name was Margaret and she had a way of being with you. She always made you feel like you were important to her.....like the things you were saying had value...and her face...her beautiful face showed such emotion. I have yet to figure out how she communicated with so few words sometimes.

When she faced adversity she would often say, "It's just another role to play!" You see, she loved acting..and could have gone to New York City to study. Someone from her home town offered to send her free of charge. She chose instead to stay in her small town in Wisconsin, marry my father and have three daughters. I often think she played that role of wife and mother to a standing ovation.

In her later years when her health began to fail, I would go to multiple doctor's appointments with her. I would wheel her down the hallway in her wheelchair and once we got to the waiting room she would find someone to talk to and soon there would be some acknowledgment of, "I know what you are going through", the touch of a hand and a smile of understanding and encouragement. Never once did I experience my mother feeling sorry for herself. No....that simply wasn't her way!

I was in awe of her, proud of her and ever so glad and proud to be her daughter.

I love you mom, and I miss you! We all miss you! Happy birthday!

I Wish I Had Known About This A Long Time Ago

I learned something this morning that I wish I had known about a long time ago. It might have made life a whole lot easier. All my life I have believed a person needed to work to earn money. But, this morning, as Sarah, Davey, Derek, our friend Joe and I talked on the phone, Davey told us something that could change our lives! And yours!

Davey said he needed to go buy some money. I thought that was interesting and I wanted to know more. So, I asked him, "Davey, where do you buy money?" He said, "In the chocolate milk store."



I love the way you see the world Davey!

I suggest anyone reading this might want to get to the chocolate milk store as quick as they can! I expect there will be long long lines!

Anyone who thinks the old show hosted by Art Linkletter, "Kids Say The Darndest Things" was made up, is wrong!

Davey, you make me laugh!

Some Like It .. And .. Some Just Aren't Sure

Happy New Year Everyone!

I hope the new year 2007 will gift you all with light, love, good health and happiness!

Thank you to everyone who visits my blog and allows me to share a small piece of my world!
























These beautiful pictures were taken on New Year's Eve 2006 and New Year's Day 2007.

The music is Winter Light by Linda Ronstadt. It is one of my favorites. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

A Very Special Christmas Invitation

Sometimes a gramma's life is too wonderful for words. But, if you know me, I will find some. You see, the deal is this. On December 20, 2006 I was invited to Davey's pre-school Christmas program. He was so excited! He had learned songs, actions and how to stand on the bleachers. The teachers had mentioned to the parents that their child might leave the bleachers and come sit with them, so we were prepared for just that. But, Davey stood as still as could be in his little spot for the entire program. As he walked in to take his spot, he saw his daddy and mommy and me sitting in the audience with cameras poised. He waved and called out hi to all of us. It was as precious a moment as I have had.

After the program and reception, Davey wanted to show me his classroom. As you can see, I found the most comfortable seat in the room and Davey brought some books for us to read. It was a wonderful wonderful day and Davey did a wonderful job!

Thank you mommy for inviting me to this very special day!