Good Saturday to you from Iowa, although it feels more like Arizona with temperatures in the mid to high nineties. Very rare for June.........the saving grace has been that the humidity and dew points have been low so it is much more tolerable. Unfortunately that will be changing and the temperatures will not! Definitely having a heat wave in our little corner of the world.
As I sit on the porch writing this I cannot help but be aware of all the sounds, smells, and sights that welcome me. The birds are singing, the leaves are moving with the wind, a squirrl jumps from branch to branch. Our neighbor is blowing locust blossoms off his driveway, a daily occurrence for us too. The bush next to our porch is filled with blossoms that give off a sweet fragrance. The sky is so blue today, especially with all of the trees and bushes showing off their vivid greens. Ahhhhh, porch sitting is a good thing!
Speaking of that, Joel is still starting his day with a little porch sitting. Thirty degrees or 90 degrees, it does not phase him. He just needs to start the day with nature. He is always provided with entertainment from the squirrels, crows, blackbirds, robins, and our resident ducks who seem unafraid of people, dogs, or cars. This time of year Joel also finds outdoor projects to do! I guess you can take the boy off the farm, but you can't take the farm out of the boy. This week he took an old garden filled with wild tiger lilies and dug them up, put in new soil mixes, and planted coleus. We are looking forward to the coleus sharing their beauty well into fall. God has certainly created a variety in nature for His people to enjoy!
Last Saturday we drove two hours south to our granddaughter G.'s graduation party. It was so nice to see everyone after nearly two years. We spent a couple of hours visiting with family, "framily" (friends who are more like family to them), their neighbors, and co-workers of Matt's, before heading back home. We were able to watch G's high school graduation on Sunday via livestream. Just like we watched her Honors Event. Truly, it is so great that grandparents and family can tune in from anywhere to be a part of such celebrations and milestones. It makes me think about my mom and how much she would have loved the "latest technology". I expect she was pretty lonely at times until she retired at age 76 and moved out to S.D. to be near my sister Jan. That was such a blessing for her! Seeing Jan all the time, and spending more time with the grands and great grands. Loneliness became a thing of the past I expect.
Reflecting on that trip south...................most of my clothes I did not wear during Covid lockdown? Tight. Traveling, visiting, and traveling again on the same day? Exhausting for me this time ~ not always, but this time. Being around a lot of people after living a too quiet life at home? A bit of adjusting. Putting aside those minor glitches, it was great to see, hug, and visit with some of our family. It just felt so "normal" to not wear a mask and be able to hug on those we love and care about. Nice.....
Speaking of normal, I got new glasses this week and my vision is back to 20/20. This is a big deal for me, as the retina specialists keep telling me........"For the aggressive AMD you have, your vision is remarkable!" I will definitely take "remarkable"~!! Thank you Jesus!
Speaking of Jesus, have you watched any episodes of "The Chosen"? It is really a great series about Jesus's life and ministry. We have been able to find Season 1 and some of Season 2 on YouTube. I confess that the director's long talks and promotion of the series can be annoying, but the episodes themselves are so good. The portrayal of Jesus and the disciples is so real, no natural. We highly recommend it! We also finished up watching "Atlantic Crossing" on PBS, another mini series that was excellent. PBS does some great shows for television! For a small donation you can get a PBS Passport and watch any of the shows online. (I sound like a commercial!)
Speaking of commercials, has anyone seen the one with all the babies making such wonderful expressions? One is chewing on his toes, another raising their eyebrows. Oh, there is just something about a baby, isn't there. Their innocence, the trust they have for those who love them....the joy in their eyes, their faith in the world around them. Yeah......we could all use a little more of that. Our youngest grandchild, J., turns 13 this week. Wow. Happy Birthday! These grandparents will be waiting awhile for any babies to appear in the family!
So, this week I am grateful for new glasses that are brightening my world, babies that make us smile, PBS, "The Chosen", porch sitting, going to G.'s graduation party, hugging on family, phone calls, texts, pictures, a coleus garden, walking, summer grilling, air conditioning, a grandson's birthday, and so much more......
Enjoy your weekend!
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