Travels

Over 23 hours in the car with only the two of us together. We did have a break periodically when we took advantage of the local gas station restrooms. but that was the extent of it.

I.want to make it perfectly clear that this was not an imposition for either of us. After nearly 43 years together, Steve and I still enjoy each others company. Our trip, both ways, was a pleasant journey. The diversified landscapes captures the eyes and hearts of travelers. How can our world be so beautiful in so many ways?

It is such a privilege to have the opportunity to travel to Arizona to enjoy the scenery, weather, relatives and sights. Our dear neighbors entrusted their new Fountain Hills home to us, so this made the trip soooo much more pleasant.

We are safely home enjoying beautiful temperatures. There is a blizzard looming in the near future. Can hardly wait.

Sunny now,
Jan

New Year

Most people don't usually get as excited as I do about cleaning, but I get a high from it. I've talked before about my laundry room, how I have it decorated, makes me feel like doing my laundry and keeping it organized. It's the little things that make me smile. The door pulls are butterflies, dragon flies and bees. They make me smile when I look at them. The wall organizer came from Pottery Barn and gives the room the custom look. The pictures of the grandchildren are what inspire me each day.

This past week Steve and I tackled our pantry. How often does a person take everything out, give it good cleaning, throw out the expired items and mentally take an inventory of what you have. How nice it is when you know you already have an item and also know where it is. I am so fortunate to have a large, walk-in pantry and I am ticked pink that during construction I requested a "refrigerator" light for the room. I wanted to make sure every time I opened the door the light was on and it would automatically turn off when the door closed. A convenience I just couldn't live without now.

Organization makes my heart sing. Perhaps it's because I married a "Mister Organized". I can remember our first apartment together. (We didn't live together before we were married, so a lot of things in the beginning were a surprise.). I learned pretty quickly that everything should have and be in its place.

Growing up in a minister's home, we lived in the parsonage, which was owned by the church our Dad was serving. Due to the fact that the home was not technically ours, Mom felt compelled to keep it "company ready" because the door was always open to the parishioners. When you're raised this way, you know no different, and it becomes a habit. Thank you Mom!

The New Year has begun and at our home many projects are underway. The decorations are securely put away for another year and anticipation is in the air for big snows and lots of inside time to do the little things we normally don't want to take the time to do.

Off to a place we hope will be at least as nice as it is here in Nebraska. Perhaps we'll miss a snowstorm while we are there.

Health and happiness in the new year for all,
Jan

Thankful

We have dodged a huge blizzard which is inundating Kansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. We may see a few flurries and that will add to the festiveness of the season.

When I think of Christmas, I recall past times with family. I've spent the past 43 years with my husband, 40 years have included our son, Sean, and 38 years have included our daughter, Melinda. For the past 19 years we have been grandparents, and each year we have been more blessed than we could ever have imagined.

It's so easy to lose the spirit of this time when there are so many activities going on. Today I encourage you to take the time to go out of your way to do something unexpected for someone. Pray for not only guidance for yourself, but also for your neighbors, not only the ones you know, but for those you don't know. Behind each door are difficulties that are not necessarily shared. Smile, it is contagious. Be reflective. Be thankful for all that you are. Know that God will be by your side at all times. Thank the people you interact with. All of us need a boost of encouragement.

This may not be in your plans today, but now that I have written it down, it will be on my agenda.

Thank you to all of you for your support for me and my family. You give me strength each day.

Stay warm,
Jan

Yum!

Coffee in bed this morning, a treat from my favorite husband. What a nice gesture for a loved one. The decorating is complete, the shopping is done so next on the agenda is to finish up the baking. It's a good thing the inner baker comes out at these special times.


I've completed the banana bread and pumpkin bread mini loaves, the pecan sandies, Oreo/cream cheese balls, peanut butter blossoms, and white chocolate pretzel sticks. Today I'm going to tackle decorated sugar cookies. Wish me luck, I need it.

It's so nice to be retired and have the time to put together treats for friends who don't have the pleasure of time. I remember too well the stress of being young with children and working away from my home. So appreciative when someone remembered my family and shared their spirit of the season with us.

Keep your fingers crossed that I have all the ingredients I need today since I don't drive. Steve is busy working on our son's basement so he won't be home for a while. Oh well, it's always gives me a chance to touch base with the neighbors if I find I'm short of something.

Here's a great, easy recipe for all of you.

Oreo/cream cheese balls:  Cream together one package of Oreo cookies (crumbled) and eight ounces of cream cheese. Form into walnut sized balls. Refrigerate for over an hour, dip in melted almond bark. Cool.  Eat!

Love to you all!
Jan

Breathe

I am so excited to share our event from last Saturday morning. Steve and I hosted a fund raising Christmas brunch for our neighbors. It was time for the house to be adorned for the season, time to give to those less fortunate, time to bake, and time to share with friends. This was the perfect way to be motivated to do all of it at one time.

I like to take time to go through my house and decide how I want it to look and feel for Christmas. Steve always reminds me to "shop" the decorations he's displayed in the family room, before I decide I need to purchase something new. Funny that after 42 Christmas seasons how many things I have to choose from, even though I have deleted numerous items in the past. (Remember when everything had to look country or the homemade phase?). Well, when I feel the pressure of an event, I do much better setting a deadline rather than doing a little bit here and there.

The tree was adorned, the holiday dishes set the festive table, the menu was selected so the only thing left was to order the perfect morning weather. As it turned out, we could not have chosen a more perfect day for a brunch. In Nebraska, we had already had our first beautiful snow and the early morning brought a frost that turned the trees and bushes into shimmering white icicles. The temp was warm enough so some braved the short walk to our house in just sweaters and the sun shown bright.

Our company enjoyed mimosas, orange juice, coffee and a few bloody Marys. We served Creme Brûlée French toast, egg casserole, fruit, Swedish Hamballs and Christmas cookies.

Our generous guests brought donations for the women's shelter and later in the afternoon a few of us delivered them. I would call the effort a great success and a reminder to all of what the season is all about.

Today is the day I have set aside to start the Holiday baking. Must get the stash ready so I have something in hand when I visit my friends' homes.

I'm blessed to be able to still do this again this year. I must take advantage of these fleeting moments. The past two years, I didn't think I would have, have flown by too quickly.

Breathe, and enjoy the season,
Jan

Caregivers

As I sit here, in this small room, full of chairs and people I don't know, I feel a kinship with all of them. In one respect I have been on both sides of the coin. I have been the patient, waiting for the door to open and the technologist calling my name and today, I am the family member waiting for my loved one to return to the safety of my company.

There have been numerous hours of my husband and I waiting on separate sides of this door I sit next to today. When I am the patient experiencing the stress of an MRI, I always wonder what Steve is doing to occupy his time. Our daughter, Melinda is the patient, so I wear a different hat in this waiting room today. The stress is still there, but the anxiety is at a different level when it is your child. (Yes, I know she is in her upper thirties, but she is still our child.)

When we need to spend time waiting for tests to be done at one of our local hospitals, I always am amazed that these big buildings are full of people who need expert care from all the professional care givers residing here. When you spend so much time in doctors' offices and hospitals, you begin to think there must not be anyone out in the real world without illness.

Thank goodness there are bright, compassionate people who dedicate their lives to be caregivers to others. Thank goodness we live in a metropolitan area that specializes in research and is a magnet for doctors interested in cancer, transplants and other necessary areas.

I will continue to take deep breaths, on this side of the door, and pray the specialists get enough information o enable them to do the next test on Friday. I also pray for Melinda, may she have strength and peace.

A loving Mom,
Jan

Thanksgiving

Today is one of my favorite days of the year. It is the day before Thanksgiving and we are preparing a host of fabulous dishes for the favorite people in our lives. Yesterday Steve and I teamed up to prepare most of the dishes and set the table. We do this in order to have a stress free day, the day of our meal.

You may wonder why we are celebrating a day early. In my mind everyday is Thanksgiving.. I have a trillion things to be thankful for and...our grandchildren were not available on Thursday so, what the heck, gather when you can.

Let me give you a quick run down of our menu. Picture this, Turkey, Swedish ham balls, ham, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole (compliments of Sean and Sarah), corn casserole (compliments of Melinda and James), potato casserole, dressing with Italian sausage, gravy, orange/apricot salad, cranberry/apple salad, rolls, pumpkin bars, pumpkin cheesecake, and pecan pie (compliments of our dear friends Dick and Barb. and I am proud to say, everything is homemade!!!

The real reason I love today is because I have the privilege to show my special family how much I love and care for them. The food is an important part of our tradition but so is our time of prayer and sharing what is important to all of us.

My life has been so blessed. I was allowed to grow up in a Christian home with parents who cared about our life goals and supported us in our choices. I was blessed to marry a man who turned out to be my best friend. God helped Steve and I adopt the most beautiful baby, over forty years ago. Little did we know, that by doing so, we would be blessed with four perfect grandchildren. Again our life was enhanced by giving birth to our special daughter, thirty eight years ago. And because she is so loving, we are fortunate to be able to help raise her step granddaughter.

I personally want to thank my two donor families who made life-changing decisions to donate organs, so my life could be enhanced to allow me to be active, alert and alive! I feel they did not just touch my life, they have touched my family, friends and everyone who will hear my story.

We join together to reflect on our past year and anticipate the joys and challenges of the year to come. Thank you God for standing with us day to day.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Jan