The middle of the night is so peaceful. I just watched the taped replay of Grey's Anatomy, and it was a moving ending. Izzy's cancer battle, ie. her hair falling out, the uncertainty of what's ahead, her desire to live fully in the moment....I could relate well to all of this show! She is in a lot worse shape than I was, but the emotions of it are pretty much the same.

I flipped my "365 Days of Joy" calendar, and today's message says, "There are those who suffer greatly, and yet, through the recognition that pain can be a thread in the pattern of God's weaving, find the way to a fundamental joy." I know I have found my way to that fundamental joy. And I move along a path with like-minded folks who are heading in the same direction. And that makes all the difference.

I am having a wonderful time on the newly established pastoral council. Tonight I attended the executive group meeting, two reps chosen from each of the four new groups that are a result of the Best Practices for Parishes study. We had lively, fun, interesting, joyful, constructive conversation and put some plans together that are going to make our parish even better than it already is. This is a great way to use my creativity and knowledge. And I can do the work part of it when I am rested. I love it.

A busy day coming up tomorrow, so I better wind up. Tea Room, Cora's birthday party, and a retreat with the larger Why Catholic community. A nationally known speaker will be here to talk about evangelization, what we are all called to do. Mario and I will be going. Then Saturday we have a Quest meeting and the girls are staying with us while the Dede Mom and Dad and boys fly to Charleston for soccer. I plan to have the girls help me with my chocolate chip cookies to take over to Judy's house Sunday, as her family is arriving Monday for her mom's memorial service on Tuesday, and will stay a few days. Everybody seems to like munching on those cookies!

Today I was really blessed. Judy took me to her mom's apartment and invited me to choose whatever dishes and decorative items I liked. I chose a couple of things, then she encouraged me to choose more. And lastly, she gave me a beautiful framed and matted print of a famous impressionist? painting, I believe called "Serenity". She paid handsomely for it at auction a few years back, then gave it to her mom when they moved and painted the walls coral so the picture just did not have the right colors to hang back in her house. So she gave it to me. I love it! What a friend I have. It is hanging in my living room above the couch. I am happy to have something new to look at.

Have a great weekend everyone.

Family Pics

Bailey saved a piece of her 18th birthday cake for Grandma, who was ailing on her birthday.

Speaking to the CDof A; Bailey received the award and a $500 scholarship.

The principal, Bailey, and ? with the check

Proud Grandma

Happy parents

Loving sisters

Flowers for me? (I love this picture.)

Love this one too

Megan Hammelman, Mary Beth and Mark's oldest daughter, readying for her piano recital

Megan's First Communion Day

I love pictures, and I enjoy sharing them with family who read the blog. I think about all of you when I put pics on, especially those who live away. I hope these smiling faces make you smile too.

Yesterday I helped Carrie out by watching the last hour of her daycare and the evening with the grandkids, so Carrie and Tony could go to Springfield for the wake service of the father of a good friend. I was not so sure about how to entertain all those little ones, but not to worry....about 5 minutes after Carrie and Tony left, the kids spotted a little toad in the window well, and that little critter entertained them for hours! I am sorry to say the toad ended up belly up this afternoon on the sliding board, a sad demise for the nature-loving Hannah and Cora. But Nolan was the first to report the event, and Carrie said he was matter-of-fact. "Mom, you gotta come out and see this." I imagine there was some unintended trauma to the toad as one little pair of boy hands after another "took care" of him today. Another day in the life at the Dede household. But I will say I had a fun afternoon watching them with that toad.

***A note about Bailey's award....In his presentation to Bailey, the principal told the group that this year the Routt philosophy was "What have you done today to make somebody's day brighter?" He then said Bailey consistently lives the philosophy by coming to school every day with a smile and helpful and friendly manner. Now that is a great compliment to Bailey. We should all follow her example and make it a goal to make somebody's day brighter every day.

Bailey's Senior Prom; More Dance Recital Photos

Bailey and Paige before the prom. Two sweeties.

She's got this pose down! What a cutie.

Grandma Dotty and Bailey

At the Grand March at Routt

Sisters

Pretty ballerina

Little brother Nolan getting help with the binoculars

Like Daddy; he can fall asleep anywhere.

The water bottle was a makeshift gun to "shoot" at the dancers.

Who knows what he is thinking...

Big brother Blake watched too, and he humored me with a smile.

Could we just capture this and keep it forever?

Today I took Nolan and two daycare buddies to McD's and met Judy and Katie there. It was a shorter time today, as Judy had to leave to make arrangements at the funeral home for her mom who passed on Sunday. Judy took good care of her mom, and it's so good they had the cruise together in early April. A good last hurrah for them. Rest in peace, Mary Jane.

Pretty Dancing Girls

Cora, almost 11, and Hannah, 7, at the Spring Dance Recital of Jazz, ETC.

Hannah posing for Carrie before the show...

in her tap outfit for "Splish Splash"

Her ballet outfit for "Reflection"

I love all the dances, but there is just something about a little girl ballet dancer that gets me.

Cora getting ready for her tap number, "Trashin' the Camp" from the movie Tarzan

Growing up

Hannah onstage with her class performing to "Splish Splash"

Cora onstage....I am far away up in the balcony, so the photos are not the clearest, but you get the idea!

(We are in the balcony so Nolan can move about.) The show had 61 numbers, and we were there for about 5 hours. Just enjoyed it all.

Hannah onstage performing to "Reflection." It was beautifully choreographed; the girls held mirrors and the props fit the song well.

The last dance for us, Cora's jazz number, "Dance Me If You Can." The girl can dance!
Grandma was impressed.

She's got some moves! (Those moves are possibly making Daddy a little nervous!)

A big finish for Cora's jazz class. Cora is 2nd from left.

A great night for all. More tomorrow. I'm all danced out :o)

I will also post some photos from Bailey's prom night. They are beautiful. Just got them and will share them tomorrow.

Lots going on...

Seems everyone has a lot going on this weekend. Carrie and the 3 younger kids were in the Dogwood Parade this morning; I watched from the couch. It was televised locally, and the camera stayed focused on Nolan and Hannah for quite awhile. Carrie was driving a nice little golf cart for John Wood Community College for Kids and pulling a little cart behind it with the kids. She told me Cora was beaning people with her candy, because they weren't looking when she was throwing it, and Nolan was throwing it so hard it was going over people's heads. So there you have it. This afternoon the girls are practicing for their dance recital tomorrow afternoon/evening. Cora also has her band concert tomorrow afternoon, so we are going to have to pitch in and help with some quick transportation help between venues. We have committed to a Quest (fresh-soph version of TEC), so we have a meeting for that going on too and have to write a 20-minute talk about how we have made our relationship work. That should be fun. AND....Bill and Donna Robson are here for a couple of hours today, so we are getting together for dinner with them and Marty and Joyce Stevens....just found that out a little while ago. Lots going on everywhere! The weather is beautiful here today.

:o)

I've had a good three days, Mon-Wed. Got my chipped tooth patched up, (no crown...yet), watched Dancing With the Stars and Idol, went to an Idolmaniac party at Marty's last night and had some great food and conversation, and spent the afternoon with Nolan today. We did a run to Burger King. Then he and his little buddy came here to play for a couple of hours. I got in a 20-minute walk tonight before the Idol results show. Now I am ready to hit the hay. I have 2 new books to read...Bailey's choice for her book study called "Their Eyes Were Watching God"
and one our friends Jim and Pat Real passed along called "The Shack." I am anxious to get started on both.
Here's a good thought....
I have learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends on our dispositions and not on our circumstances.
-Martha Washington

Cora and Hannah visit over the weekend

Cora's own fashion creation. She wore her apron when she cooked supper Friday evening.

Sewing basket, beads, colorful spangles, and cloth keep the girls occupied for hours on Friday.

Each has a little project they are sewing....

Then we're one girl down....where did Cora go, Hannah?

Hannah busy painting and has no idea where Cora is.

AHA! There she is! She tells me she is rocking in the swing on the deck and pretending she's at the beach. Says the clouds and wind look and sound just like the ocean, and she wishes to live by an ocean someday.

Hannah continues with the watercolors....

and eventually joins her sister at "the ocean."

Carrie, Tony, and the boys headed out of town for a soccer tournament on Friday, so the girls came here Friday evening. On Saturday they went to Grandma Mary's. They told me they would rather be ANYWHERE than a soccer tournament. So I tried to make it fun for them. Cora got our her little home-sewn apron, photographed above, and made mac and cheese (the real kind she calls it with chunks of Velveeta). She likes to cook and I let her have at it. I did have to give her one little instruction though. She thought it was the milk that makes it creamy. Sorry thin little girl. It's that fattening cheese that does that! So she made plenty to go 'round and enough to share with the daycare on Monday. Next, the girls asked for cloth and sewing materials. I found some cloth napkins they could use and got out the sewing basket. "I didn't know you can sew, Grandma." They have two other Grandmas, Tony's Mom and Grandma Mary, who both are very talented seamstresses. So I had to humbly admit that what I can do in that department is attach buttons and make minor repairs. Well, they were ok with that. So they spent almost the whole evening with their sewing as well as working with the beads and spangles that once were part of Paige and Bailey's world. Cora disappeared, and when that happens, I don't really worry. But I instinctively know she has gone to have some kind of little adventure. Sure enough, I found her out on the deck, totally covered up, and enjoying the breezy, balmy evening enough to want to sleep out there. Pretty soon Hannah joined her. They made room for me, and we listened and talked to the wind and moon, and made wishes on the stars. What a great Friday evening.

The soccer boys and Mom and Dad rolled back into town late Sunday evening with the championship trophy. Everyone was happy. Blake scored a couple of goals and played well. The other parents said, "He's not the little guy anymore." The weight room has paid off, and he has grown a little this summer. One of his shots missed the goal and went sailing into the parking lot behind, shattering the side mirror of one of the parent's vehicles. We learned through the years that you never park behind the goal. Guess that fellow won't park there again either. Well anyway, Blake had a good tournament and when I talked with him, I was reminded he really is not Baby Blake anymore.

Carrie said Nolan rather enjoyed being the little top dog kid of the weekend. Other parents were buying him candy and giving him quarters for the video ride that he loved there. Well, apparently he took in some conversation as well. When they all got home, Carrie was putting away things from the van and asked Nolan to take something back to his room. "Do I go Northwest to do that?" Nolan asked. "You can go any direction you want to get there, just get it to your room," Carrie answered. He probably picked up a few other new words and phrases over the weekend that he will be trying out on us. Chris did the same thing when he was a little boy, and we were all so entertained.

Tomorrow promises to be a not so fun day, as I broke off a tooth Saturday evening (while I was flossing--not even chomping on something yummy). Today another little piece broke away when I brushed my teeth, so I suspect the whole thing is going to go sooner or later. So another crown for me, and I hope my dentist can get me in to get the process started. I compared notes with Carolyn about this and found I am lagging way behind...well if you count the three front teeth she had knocked out in the car accident when she was a kid. She has 11 crowns to my 5. Well 6 after this one. I don't know where other siblings stand in this area, but we both are brushers and flossers, and it didn't seem to matter. The teeth genes must not have been as strong as let's say the bone genes. Still no broken bones among the 12 of us I think. That's amazing for all the activities we've all been engaging in throughout our lives. Well I will be asking the Good Lord, "Why did you slack on how you made the teeth?" Surely something more durable was available. Well I have told my family to retrieve all this gold before they store me away someday! :o)