More training needed

Setting: Church Kitchen, serving a special function.
Mom pleased Leah is such a good little helper to the ladies league.

Mom is refilling lemonade when looks up to see Leah batting her eyelashes to line cut, and get a plateful before all the men in suits take all the good food. Mom has the sense to take her out of line, but not without her protesting that she wants a potato and SOUR CREAM. Partial plate back on the kitchen counter and a quiet lesson in polite serving of our guests, and yes that means there might not be enough left for the servers. The ladies are supportive, however some smiling... that yes the women here eat last... but there is always enough food.

So much for this PW to learn... explaining the role of being a lady to a Pastors daughter just jump up in high priority. This includes not licking out her little sour cream cup! Later she was such a great little help with cleaning off tables and wiping dishes.

Later from Dad
"Leah come up to me and said she was so jealous of me sitting down to eat. She had ham and corn, but couldn't eat it". :-)))

I wonder if the Ladies League has a special "Miss Manners for PDs!"

September Memories (part three)

Ed is doing well, although his heart is really attached to his members. If they hurt... he "has a lot on my mind". I am praying he learns to Shepard without taking so much out of him. Or just the amount God wants for him. He is really happy with where God has led us and enjoys the fun times and co- coaching Luke's soccer teams.

Luke is adjusting to being a 6th grader. The first few weeks were hot without conditioning and knowing that public didn't start until 10 days later. He also thinks his teacher is too hard this year... although he has reflected this now on his parents... since I told him this is what we asked her to do. I am happy the school has high expectations of it's student!

Leah loves First grade and is READING. She is a great speller and is so excited to bring back her homework! I haven't heard if she in trouble for chatting with her neighbors yet. She started her team gymnastics program, 2 days a week and loves it! We are going to start really slow with competitions for at least this year.

Bandit and Skittles are enjoying the cooler weather, and that Mom opens up a back window so they can watch the bird feeder "LIVE TV". No comment from the birds!

September Memories (part 2)

Patty is working 3 to 5 days a week at hospice. The last 2 weeks have been busy and working long and stressful days... then the house becomes quiet after many dear souls found their way to heaven. Somehow we find a way to heal our hearts quickly and prepare for the next influx. I compare it the the Maternity ward... they all seem to come at once (in our case in reverse). Does the Maternity ward see things in 3's too? I really love the people I work with and the patients. I become closer to the patients and families in small town living... and all too many have family members at our church or school home. I run into families frequently at stores and am working on a way to connect faces to names... because it seems to make such a difference. I feel helpless at times... because kind words and promising to pray seems too little to lesson pain. But it is what God has given me... and I will do.

The start for full time hours is tentative with a staff member leaving, a new one orientating and a new computer program and training the others. I have been asked to develop into a team leader. This terrifies me.... but I am proceeding as God is leading me.

I am painting the house... a 2 story house. For some reason paint sheds off the house in sheets and has done so for 40 years. So I am touching up until we can side next year. I LOVE MY SCRAPBOOK ROOM and have been spending at least a evening a week in there. I have filled all my scrapbooks and am now waiting for awesome coupons to buy more books.

September Memories (part one)

Last night I spent about 2 hours reading a blog.... this very blog. I went back 2 years full of memories. REALLY GOOD memories! The blog is better than scrapbooking (although I still really like scrapbooking), to trigger my memories. I certainly would have forgot at least 50 % of said memories. I would have remembered the events,... but not the feelings or the little precious (or not) things the kids said or did at such major times in our life. Life is routine now... such a wonderful busy routine!

I just wrote a Christmas letter type of post and will post sections of it to keep Patty's memories. I hope some of you will enjoy it... or at least not mind too much... Hopefully, it will trigger a return to regular blogging.


Today September 11, 2010

Patty remembers 9 years ago... first thinking HOW AWFUL for "those people", really not understanding how an attack in New York would effect Iowa. The very next day we refinanced our home in DSM's tallest building and kept glancing out the window scared that every state would be hit next. Such an irrational fear. 3 years later, I drove on a tour bus past the site... still never comprehending what this meant the survivors, but a better idea of what it meant for America. God bless the New Yorkers as they rebuild and make decisions that will effect many. I pray ignorant people will stop hurting people as they seek their 15 minutes of fame.