Good morning... After a really happy Valentine's Day in Ohio with my parents, my siblings, our Norwegian exchange student and her young adult son, my mom's cough spiked a fever of 102. Filled with doses of cough medicine and Tylenol, we tucked her into bed. Later, from the guest room in my parents' villa, I heard the click, [...]
Good morning... After climbing in the back seat and exchanging happy hellos at the airport, the first thing I noticed was my mom's cough. Pesky and persistent, her cough was concerning, still our natural conversation took on its own life. We enjoyed a yummy Olive Garden take-out dinner and a relaxing evening together, but my mom's cough was [...]
Good morning... Last Sunday, our class discussed Man's Search For Meaning by Victor Frankl. On Monday, I blogged about the beloved book in our morning message, We Suffer and Survive. On Tuesday, I got two emails, back to back, highlighting Frankl's wisdom again, encouraging us to Savor Life's Soup from the bottom of our soul. Then, on Wednesday [...]
Good morning... With my parents in the performance of the Holiday Choir at their senior living community, this was a good long weekend to come to Ohio for a visit. Sunday was a full day. Church. Kiwanis pancake breakfast with Santa and our extended family. Creating their Christmas card. Getting out ornaments for their live tree. Quality time [...]
Good morning... On Friday morning, I received the above text. A beloved member of our church family went to heaven last week. Kind. Generous. Incredibly beautiful, inside and out. This photo on my phone captures well the spirited Junie Parker I will always remember. Her obituary begins: "Natalae Waters 'Junie' Parker died peacefully in her home on September [...]
Good morning... After reading yesterday's blog post, My Dad's Handwritten Note, a church friend from a while back wrote from miles away, sharing a story about her own father. Now up in the middle of the night the nearly full moon beckons me to the couch. "Sit. Stay put. Savor her tender, touching words." "Northside will always be [...]
Good morning... Oh, how I remember these dorm move-in days with all four of our kids. It has been pretty amazing to receive texts and photos of Audrey DeShelter's move-in experience at Notre Dame. Yesterday, her mom Jennifer posted about Audrey's transition on Facebook. So much beauty amid so much challenge. [...]
Good morning... Waking early, I took time to process myself by writing yesterday's blog, Steve Is In Africa. In retrospect, I realize now that the post expressed the tip top of my emotions. Hope. Connection. Optimism. I had not heard the voice of my husband Steve for nearly a week as he led his first Lovett Expeditions trip [...]
Good morning... The last time my husband Steve and I were physically together on a mountainside was in Banff, Canada. We explored the Canadian Rockies with our adult kids in June. This week Steve and I have been spiritually together as I have prayed constantly for him and the group he is helping to lead up Mt. Kilimanjaro [...]
Good morning... For years and years and years, I have taught Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, for years and years and years. Then in May, my friend said, "Why don't you consolidate your classes so you'll have more time to go to Ohio to visit with your parents?" I checked with the regulars on [...]
