REMEMBERING ERIC--4/8/08

an adoring daddy

a loving husband

a wonderful friend

a beloved son

Eight years ago today, Eric was killed instantly in an accident in which a teen age driver crossed the line on a curve. Eric was thirty nine...

I first met Eric in 1992, when he was thirty two years old, had been a widower for three weeks, and had just ended up with two critically injured boys as a result of an auto accident...

Nicolas, Eric’s little boy, became my little sweetie as I began visiting and spending time with him for months during his hospitalization. During this time, I came to know and love the older son, Charles, also.

I am so thankful that Eric asked me to stay and be part of their lives when the boys finally left the hospital.

Eric’s family became my family of the heart through many tears, lots of laughter, wonderful hugs, yummy meals together, prayers, warm fellowship and endless medical appointments!!

Getting to know Eric's extended family from Wisconsin was a real plus. His french parents are so darling....and so loving to everyone. The day they arrived after the accident, as the three of us stood embracing one another, Jean-Claude, Eric's dad said,
"Oh this is so hard....yet we know that our God makes no mistakes". They have continued to be a tower of strength for Eric's family.

a beloved son

Eric and his parents, Denise and Jean-Claude

For seven years it was my joy and privilege to know and love Eric. There are so many precious memories from the hours we spent together.

an adored daddy
Eric, Nicolas, Baby Paul, Charles

I was able to watch Eric develop from a young man overwhelmed with grief in his life, to a happy, mature man, secure in his circle of family and friends, and rejoicing in the love of Helene, (whom he married three years after the boys’ accident) and their three boys.

a loved husband

a new family is born

Today I remember Eric as a wonderful friend, a young man who had faced tremendous adversity, who amid laughter and tears, was under girded by a deep and abiding faith in Christ. He often spoke to me of his faith.

I remember one evening Eric, Helene and I were in a deep discussion about God and where He fits into the tragedies of our lives--Eric stated so clearly and simply that night,

“I have no bitterness toward God.
My faith is in Him and I do not question why.”

His simple eloquence spoke deeply to my troubled heart that night. Those words took on new meaning in the days that followed as we dealt with Eric’s early home going.

I miss so many things about Eric...

being able to phone him to just chat or get a problem solved

watching his ceaseless perfection in any work that he undertook

stopping by his store with Nicolas after a west side doctor appointment
and seeing Eric's eyes light up when he saw Nick,
drop what he was doing, and come running to swing Nick up in his arms.

his thrill over hamburgers that he had cooked to perfection on his grill

his heartfelt prayers of thanksgiving before we shared a meal together.

listening to the laughing and talking that went on
with son, Charles as the two of them cleaned up the kitchen after dinner

his many affirmations which he so freely gave

and the many conversations we enjoyed as an extended family

But, most of all I miss seeing him enjoy his boys as they continue to grow and mature. He loved each of them deeply and so often said, “Joan, I’ve got the greatest kids in the world!”

Nick, now 17, Charles, now 25, Paul, now 11 and Eric, with the Lord

I shall always be grateful to God that Eric was part of my life. I have been richly blessed because I knew him.

I continue to be blessed because his family remain precious to me.
I am their "Grandma Joan".

I like that.

People are treating me like I’m elderly!

In the last few days, I’ve had several people go out of their way to help me or try to help me.....I know it must somehow appear I need help....but I don’t really. Last night I was in Office Depot and bought two packages of printer paper. The cute little gal who waited on me, asked me if I was sure I could take them to the car. I assured I could and stilll she said, “Can’t I get someone to help you with those?” I graciously declined her offer and made it to my car without incident.

Today I had a test on my leg arteries. I had to sign in at the office for that sort of thing at the hospital. The lady who registered me asked me if I would need a wheelchair as the “vascular lab is a long ways”. I smiled at her and told her I was fine. I assured her I was a pretty “tough old bird!”
I had my map in hand when I got on the elevator. Immediately a volunteer (who really could barely walk himself) kindly asked me if I needed help to find my way to the lab. I thanked him nicely and told him I thought I would be fine. He didn't believe me. He walked me almost half way there to be sure I didn’t get lost!


Arriving at the Lab, I was greeted by a nice nurse who asked me first thing if I would like to have her order a wheel chair for when the test was over in an hour??
I'm thinking, "What is going on here?"

As I was changing for the test, I had a few minutes to take stock of me!! I’m still 5’7”, I walk with a pretty good stride, my outfit is in style, my hair is fixed properly, I have on a little make up, I still know my name.......My hair is white--that’s the reason!! -- but not really -- My hair has been white for ten years!!

I’ve had time to reflect, today, on this gradual phenomenon that is taking place in my life. My body, my stance is certainly changing as the aging process begins eroding. Will I know when I need help? Will I be gracious about accepting help? I trust that I will.

The hardest part of this aging process is still feeling like I’m eighteen in my mind!! Somehow I have to bring the mind and the body into subjection to one another!!

Today I’m more determined to stand a little straighter, to walk a bit each day, and to ride my recumbent bike more regularly. I think there are a lot of miles left in this old girl....but in any case, I know the One with Whom I have walked for sixty five years will be my Guide, my Comforter, my Friend, my Counselor, and my constant Companion!!

When I was eighteen years old, I received a letter of welcome from the Student Body President for the year, 1950-51 at Westmont College. He closed his letter of welcome with the following words which have stayed with me always.

“Remember, we walk hand in hand with the One Who
created the world with a word!” David Needham

I'm baaaaaaack.........with cards!!....

When I make a card, I always make six of them--one to keep, and the rest to send or make up into gift packages. I give a lot of my cards for hostess gifts, simple birthday gifts, and "just because". I have some plastic boxes which I buy here in town. They hold about 5 cards, and with a ribbon and a cute tag on it, it is a nice gift and most of my friends say they love getting them. I think they do.

Its been several weeks since I've done cards because of the cruise, Christmas, getting and sorting all of the cruise pictures, and getting them into albums. Now I'm ready to start doing cards again. I'm anxious to get back into it!!

This is the last card that I made...in November!!



This has been in my project drawer for

three months! I have to finish these before I will let myself go on to another card!

The rest of the cards I will just post with no verbage!! I would like to place them two to a line, but my machine will not let me do that. Good thing I am not paying for this space!


This card is made with folded papers--not stamps except for the greeting.

I was surprised to see the tripod legs showing up. They must have come into view when I was straightening the photos on iphoto. One of these days, I will get it all figured out!!

This bottom card is my all time favorite card I have ever made. I have made it half-sheet size for a 60th wedding anniversary. I do the greeting on the computer. The line down the middle of the card is actually an off white transparent ribbon behind the deep pink.

"For He has satisfied the thirsty soul,
And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good."
Psalm 107:9

Come.... make some cards with me!!

I love having people stop by and make cards. I am happy to share my supplies. Perhaps before we begin, I should give you a tour of my stamping, scrapping, office room where it all takes place!! Are you ready to see a "controlled messy place"?

Also you need to know this is the kind of blog I put on here when I don't have any blogs of substance ready to publish. (Working on some, though!)

To the left as you step into the room is a closet full of shelves which are loaded!! On the far left is the last shelf (wire) I sandwiched in to hold machines, small stuff in the drawers, ribbons, etc.

These shelves hold stamp sets, idea books, drawers for my 12 x 12 papers, boxes of sample cards, filed by set names and on and on and on.

The next one is the far end of the closet. These shelves were here when I bought this house and they have been wonderful for plastic storage units, which house my larger tools, equipment,
and games, because we use the craft table for some great times of games when the kids visit.

Here is the heart of creating--my work table which sits in the middle of the room. It always has the ink pad stand on it, as well as the pen set, and the daylite lamp. Please note my wonderful new paper cutter--never needs new blades, so I think it has paid for itself already!

Are you still with me? As you look to the right, there is my other work area--the computer and printer. You'll notice more stamp pads and two stamp sets which I haven't cut out yet!! My chair is on a 5 x 5 heavy plastic piece, which makes it easy to go from one work counter to another.

The other end of my office wall. My boom box is there for "easy" listening. I often listen to books on tape while I'm working. On my desk top are three card making containers, one for overflow of cards, one for envelopes, and one scrap box divided into colors.

And then two containers with my color coordinated paper (Stampin' Up) which match the stamp pads on my work table.

And last, under each end of the work table are my drawer sets which hold my punches, and all the little things I use often!

You need to know this all fits into a 10 x 11 room!

The tour is over, but you are welcome anytime you can drop by--I even fix lunch sometimes for my visitors!

My next blog will be some of my cards, and maybe a couple of pages from one or two of my albums. Don't hold your breath, as I have to either photo them or scan them in and that will take time, but eventually, I'm hoping to transfer all of my card samples onto iphoto instead of having boxes of them filling up space.

Thanks for stopping by. Do leave a comment--you can tell me how messy my room is, or ask me what is an old lady doing with a blog?, or any of the other things you think. I know people are stopping by as I have a counter, but few "talk" to me.

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,
do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31

"PAPA" Project

Shortly after the first of March, with my "leprechaun" brother-in-law's birthday just around the corner (March 17), I asked my sister for some particular pictures.....................well.............she hasn't sorted her pictures since her first grandchild was born fourteen years ago!!

They were leaving for eight days in Mexico, so I told her I would go through the pictures to find what I had in mind. She brought me three grocery sacks full! I went through them ALL and found the ones with Bill and his grandies. Then I proceeded to make one of these marvelous little magic folding books that Molly and I learned how to make at a class several weeks ago.

Its really the slickest little book! It takes five scrapbook pages in coordinating colors and four card stock all the same matching color. The papers and card stock are all 12 x 12's. With the cutting that takes place, they end up 6 x 6. There is lots of folding, gluing and the result is a book that just goes on and on, over and under. It holds about forty pictures that have been trimmed. Its a great little "event" book.

Today was spent getting this little book done.

Below is a picture of it all put together.

You untie it, open the little fold doors and begin a lovely trip down memory lane.

Here are some left over pictures.

This is Bill who is "PaPa" to four of his grandchildren, and "PopPop" to another one.

relaxing at the Fourth of July picnic held yearly at the B. farm

The first grandchild--a GIRL in the family!

Bailey and her "PaPa" at "GG's" ninetieth birthday party.

Same little girlie

Tanner with "Pop Pop"
cousins Tanner and Ben, 6 weeks apart

helping "PopPop" trim the trees
This isn't all of the grandchildren...
These are the left overs from the mini album.

Now you know how my day went.
Busy, Fun, Creative
and best of all
getting to listen to praise music all day.
What a treat!!

"This is the day that the Lord has made...I am rejoicing in it"

My Mom's birthday is Sunday... I must write of her.

My Mom, Grace, was born in Arlington, Oregon on March 16, 1904. She had two brothers, Edward, four years her junior, and Raymond six years her junior. They were a close knit family, sharing many activities together. Her early years were spent in Roosevelt, WA on her father’s sheep ranch. When she was seven or eight, her family purchased the farm in Springdale where she lived during the school year. The family spent the summers on the sheep ranch in Roosevelt.

Mom

Mom graduated from high school in three years. After high school, she attended Nursing School in Portland. and then she did post graduate work at DeLes Lying in Hospital in Chicago where she majored in obstetrics. She delivered babies in the slums of Chicago often using newspapers, out of necessity, as a substitute for sterile sheets and hot water.

When she graduated from her obstetrics studies, she returned to Portland and became the Director of Wilcox Memorial Hospital which was the obstetrics hospital associated with Good Samaritan Hospital at that time. The R.N.

One spring while vacationing at the family ranch in Roosevelt, Mom was sitting in the grape arbor enjoying the grapes when a handsome ranch hand bringing a string of horses from the range, saw her for the first time. He later herded sheep for her father, and they met and eventually fell in love. Our Dad

At the ranch--Mom and me, 1933

Mom's parents with me at the ranch

Mom and brother, Bernie in "rumble seat". I was in front
with my Uncle Ray. Took a 300 mile trip in that coupe!!

She was married in 1931 to our Dad. (Jim Elliot was her ring bearer!) After she had a family, she did occasional private duty nursing while raising us. In 1950 (the year I started college) she went back to nursing on a regular basis, in an alcohol treatment center where she worked until her retirement at age 67.

Always a place of hospitality, hosts of people were guests in our home. She had an open heart, open home policy and was especially famous for her homemade clover leaf rolls! She was a wonderful cook, and a company dinner at her home was a work of art, from the center pieces to the lovely layout of her fine china and all the silverware. Her set tables were outstandingly beautiful!

Our home was always warm and inviting because our Mom was such a great home maker. She prepared a company dinner for every Sunday and we never were without dinner guests on Sundays. We kept many visiting missionaries in our home, as well as traveling preachers who came for special meetings from time to time.

After losing our beloved Dad in 1978, she continued keeping her life busy and involved. She eventually moved into the retirement community, where she lived for the last 21 years of her life. She loved it there!

Mom always felt the need to be on the go virtually every day--to the grocery store where she was always greeted with “Hi Grace” to the Hallmark Pharmacy Post Office to send cards and letters, and to her favorite target of all, Rose’s Restaurant!! 90th birthday party

A very gracious lady, Mom was loved by all. She hated conflict of any kind and avoided it as much as she could. Our Dad’s nickname for her was “Gracious”. He addressed her as that.

Mom loved her grandchildren and so much enjoyed the great grandchildren as they came along. They, in turn, loved her deeply.

When she was ninety three, she had to give up driving which hurt her deeply. The day her car was hauled away was a truly sad day for her.

The last three years she was dependent on us to take her places, and she was always so excited to go when she knew there was to be an outing. My sister and I took turns taking her out for lunch, I picked her up for church, and she continued on quite well for the next three years--still going to her ladies Bible Study and out to lunch with friends.

The great-grandies were intrigued with the walker

Enjoying the sunshine with grandson, Matt and wife Gaye

She loved to play games so I tried to go a couple of afternoons a week to play Skipbo and Rummy Cube with her. She was sharp right up to the end and hard to beat!

Mom loved to shop and she dressed like she had just stepped out of a Nordstrom’s catalog! She would find clothes she loved and then stop back again and again until she found the article on sale and then it was time to buy it. She loved looking nice.

At age ninety three she needed a walker and she just took that in stride, still looking like a fashion plate. Even when she went on oxygen the last two years of her life, it didn’t cause her to miss a beat. She had a portable canister, which she hung on her walker and away we would go!!

A true prayer warrior, Mom prayed for missionaries all over the world and all of her family daily.

As her health began to fail in the last three weeks of her life, Mom was such a good sport in everything! As she struggled for breath, she was eternally optimistic that she would get up and around again. As realization began to sink in, she accepted the obvious with grace and dignity, as was her style.

During her six day hospital stay, her decline was obvious with each day that passed. Her breathing became a struggle and any movement on her part lowered her oxygen levels dramatically.

Despite all of this, her gracious spirit shone through her suffering. She was so grateful to each nurse that ministered to her and to each doctor that treated her. Her ready smile was always there, Ever the nurse, she checked each pill she took, questioned anything that didn’t look familiar and challenged each IV she received, making sure she knew what they were putting into her body!!

Mother loved her family more than anything on earth. On a Saturday in May, surrounded by most of us, we took turns spending time individually and together with her, praying, reading Scriptures, and kissing and hugging her. My son, Jon, played hymns for her on his violin, and a group of gospel singers came to her bedside and sang some lovely songs. She enjoyed the music so much and would respond, “Lovely!” after each number.

Earlier, we read to her, Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you! Be not dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, yes I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” She raised her head up from her pillow, fastened her eyes on the reader and her face glowed as a sweet smile spread over her face. She loved the promises and comfort that the scriptures brought her, and especially on this last day of her earthly life!

At eight Saturday evening, we could no longer waken her. We gathered around her bedside, had prayers of thanksgiving for her life, and prayed for a peaceful passing (which had been her personal prayer for several years), and sang together, “Amazing Grace”.

Her loving, sweet earthly life ended in the early hours of Sunday morning, and she joined the hosts of Heaven. God was gracious, as she died peacefully. We would not wish her back to struggle for breath, but how we haved missed her beloved devotion to her family.

What an example she was to all of us in her devotion to God, her consistent prayer life, and the sweet spirit she showed to everyone.!

Mom
March 16, 1904-May 28, 2000

A New Project....

After seven plus years on a shelf in my office, today I decided to take on a project that my sister and I have talked about a dozen or more times. I'm going to do a cookbook from all of my Mom's recipe books!!
As you can see they have been well-used, have old scotch tape on them which has marred the pages, and what you cannot see is the love with which she prepared these recipes for the hundreds of people who dined at her table over the years.

There are two more books, which look the same. I found a recipe from the Baptist Ladies Society in Baker, Oregon in 1936. One of her books begins in 1950, another in 1972. She always wrote the source of her recipes and most were from other wonderful cooks in her family and circle of friends.

I will use her handwritten pages for backgrounds and type the recipes to make them more readable. I will be doing it on Blurb website.

It will be big project, but now that I've decided to do it, I'm excited to get started!

Here she is presiding over a Christmas Eve buffet at age 93 in her home.
"The most important things in your home are the people." (unknown)

We learned that lesson early on from a "master" who lived the "open heart, open home" principles all her life.

This cookbook will be a tribute to her--our Mom, our friend, our sweetie, our childrens' grandmother, and our grandchildrens' "GG" (great-grandmother). What a heritage she left us!!