Pearls In The Sun

I told you that my sweetheart and I recently made a quick day trip to Central Oregon and I told you about the old school where I attended back in the day.  It was a day made for us - a much-needed break.  We live in Western Oregon, which I love.  We have a lot of trees and fields of agriculture and the Oregon Coast not far from our home to the west.  The Cascade Mountains are not far to the east.   But, I grew up in Central Oregon - and I went back to visit many years later and met my sweetheart there - so that part of the state has a special meaning to both of us.  We love the beauty of that part of the state and it keeps calling us back.  The mountains between here and there are part of that beauty.  The day started out rainy and gray here in the valley but it changed as we crossed the Cascade Mountains that divide the valley from the Central Oregon desert.  Inspite of the weather, there was beauty on this side of the mountains.  We drove past neatly laid out green fields. . .

Past a vintage church in a small town. . .

 And on roads that wound through towering evergreen trees on the western slopes of Mt. Hood. . .

I was excited as we climbed the western slopes of the mountain and I couldn't wait to see Mt. Hood -  my favorite mountain - up ahead.  But it was not to be!  The clouds hung low and covered most of the mountain.  All that could be seen was the snow-covered base of the mountain.  The arrow in the photo shows where we should have seen the top of the mountain.

We drove on - up and around and over the mountains. The weather began to change on the east side of the mountain.  It wasn't long before we were on a big plateau and then 'dropped down' into  a valley that's surrounded by huge basalt cliffs.  In the valley, the Native American community of Warm Springs was ablaze with Fall color like I had never seen before. It was gorgeous!

The road slowly made its way up the sides of the cliffs.  Once we were at the top we were on the flat plateau again.  We felt like we were on top of the world.  Soon Mt. Washington came into view. . .

And then Mt. Jefferson rose above the horizon in the distance.

We drove on through farmland with the mountain looming large in the background.

And then, continuing on to the south, mountains affectionately named The Three Sisters (Faith, Hope and Charity) and Broken Top came into view.

We enjoyed our day in Bend, the major city in Central Oregon - the town where I spent my young years, where I returned and met my sweetheart and where I moved as a new bride.  We decided to return home on a southern route through the mountains. That route took us through the small town of Sisters, at the base of The Three Sisters. Views from that town are breathtaking!

Our day ended with such sweet memories of the beauty of God's creation in the center of our state, memories of days long ago and memories of a day away where the mountains seemed to sit like a string of pearls in the sun.

(photos were taken on my cell phone through the windows of our car as we drove along - they don't begin to capture the beauty our eyes can see)

A Relic

Last week my sweetheart and I took a day trip to Central Oregon. We knew we would love to stay longer but that wasn't possible.  We had a specific purpose in mind - something we wanted to do before winter set into the Cascade Mountains between here and there. My young growing up years were spent in Bend, Oregon - a town high in the Cascade range in Central Oregon - and that's where I met my sweetheart when I went back to visit friends many years later.  Both of us have roots there and memories galore.  After we had accomplished what we set out to do we drove around town to see some of the 'old' places from days gone by. One special place I wanted to see was the school where I attended fourth grade. It was an old building then but I loved every inch of it. I loved the vintage drinking fountains and light fixtures.  I loved the creaky wood floors and stairs.  I loved the 'coat closet' that you could only enter from the classroom.  It was a place where we could hang our coats, place our lunch pails and stow our winter boots and outdoor clothing when we came in from play on winter days.  Most of all, I dearly loved my teacher, Mrs. Fox.  She made school days more special than I could have imagined.  She was creative and loving and caring. She made each of us feel as if we were her own grandchildren.  So, I wanted to go back and see if Reid School was still standing.  And it was!

I had to quickly take this photo from the car so we wouldn't create a traffic jam.  There she was - the building where so many precious memories 'live'.  My classroom was on the second floor at the back of the building on the right. Memories flooded back again - it seemed like it was only yesterday! My former school is now a historical museum.  We wanted to head over the mountain passes toward home before dark so we didn't have time to stop and visit the museum. We will go back again someday and I know I will spend a lot of time in this dear, old building.

That day we spent in Bend brought a new realization to me - one I didn't want to embrace at first.  Then I thought about it and decided it could be a good thing.  The area where I lived is now called 'Historic Bend' and the school I attended in fourth grade is a historical museum.  Relics of the past.  So what does that make me?  A relic!!! But relics are very valuable - they are treasures and they grow in value as they age.  As I thought about it I decided to embrace the fact that I'm a relic.  That makes me a very valued treasure that will only grow in value as I age. I can live with that!

Soon I'll share more about our trip and some of the memory places that are dear to my heart.

Changing Seasons

'In change, He remains.'

I've been absent since I last wrote a post. I didn't plan it that way but life has come hard and fast and furious over the past few weeks. There have been big changes with my dear, little mother.  Over the past few years we've been caring for her as dementia began to take it's toll. The changes have been hard to grasp and we often wondered what the next day would bring. My dear mother is still alert and the doctor doesn't believe she will ever reach the place where she doesn't know us but lost memories, confusion and unreality became a part of our everyday lives. It's hard to look at the person who is so dear to you, see them look 'normal' and forget that their words or behavior isn't really them. Nancy Reagan once called it 'the long goodbye'. Many of my peers are in the same place and it's sad to hear stories that are so familiar from more and more of us each day.

Three weeks ago my mother's doctor told her she can't continue to live alone much longer. She wasn't prepared to hear that news - it hit her like a bulldozer! Her immediate reaction was very negative and sad. That began a journey we never dreamed possible.  Over the next few days she changed drastically.  We could hardly believe the incredible changes in her and we felt helpless to deal with them. Many days and evenings were spent with her as we tried to 'pick up the pieces' and help her adjust to the idea that she could move to a lovely place where life as she knows it could pretty much continue on. The fears and delusions of dementia grew out of proportion and we were thrown into a world of chaos as we tried to deal with that. We had fantastic support from the doctor and experts in things like this. At times my mom seemed to be adjusting and accepting the changes to come and then went right back into the chaos again.

My dear mother is more calm at times these days. We aren't seeing the intensity of symptoms but we are not discussing anything controversial or overwhelming with her. At times it seems she is going backwards again. She is on the waiting list at two lovely assisted living places nearby but she insists she is not going to move - she is going to stay in her home!  You can't reason with a person with dementia so we are giving her space and time to rest but one of these days we won't be able to continue that any longer. She has changed in a major way. She has lost her vitality and has decided she's tired of doing things she once enjoyed so she has chosen to let them go. That should have happened long ago. 

So, dear friends, we need prayer for wisdom and direction and strength as we walk this road. My sweetheart and I have joined a family caregiver support group that is an incredible help. We hear the stories of others who are walking this path, we shed tears together and we give support to each other. Our group met today and one dear man whose wife is quickly fading away said something we each need to grasp. His words reached deep into my heart - a much-needed reminder. 'Each day is a gift!'  There are days when it's hard to find 'the gift' in the day but he urged us to look up and observe the cloud formations, study the changing colors of the season, listen to the sounds of nature around us and realize what a gift they are to us in the middle of our worlds that are constantly changing.

Choosing To Be Content

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I have learned in whatever situation I am, to be content.
Philippians 4:11 ESV

In his book Money: A User's Manual, Bob Russell describes a farmer who once grew discontent with his farm.  He griped about the lake on his property always needing to be stocked and managed. . . .And those fat cows lumbered through his pasture.  All the fencing and feeding - what a headache!

He called a Realtor and made plans to list the farm.  A few days later the agent phoned wanting approval for the advertisement she intended to place in the local paper.  She read the ad to the farmer.  It described a lovely farm in an ideal location - quiet and peaceful, contoured with rolling hills, carpeted with soft meadows, nourished by a fresh lake, and blessed with well-bred livestock.  The farmer said, "Read that to me again."

After hearing it a second time, he decided, "I've changed my mind I'm not going to sell.  I've been looking for a place like that all my life."

Written by Max Lucado in Cure For The Common Life

I Will Praise You In This Storm

I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
And raised me up again
But my strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You?

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

I lift my eyes unto the hills

Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

Listen to this song here
Songwriters: John Mark Hall and Bernie Herms
Sung and Recorded by: Casting Crowns

Missing

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Missing: one blog.
Goes by the name 'With A Grateful Heart'!
Owner values the years of life shared and the friends found through said blog.
If found, please return to ME!

My blog went missing in action (again - third time) for the last couple of weeks. The last two times required hard work to find sufficient support staff to resolve the problem. We have a lot going on in life right now and as time went by I felt sad. I didn't realize how much my blog meant to me. I felt I had lost a good friend! Over several days and after finally connecting with Help support staff and many unsuccessful attempt to access my account - and a very patient and determined support staff gal named Stela - access was regained.  My blog is back!

I've not been blogging much lately. Life has been coming fast and furious. Inspite of that, I wanted to 'come back' - wanted to share photos and stories again. Every time I saw something interesting or took another photo I thought how much I'd like to share it here with you. I did a lot of thinking and I had a plan incase this blog was never to be again. Thoughts of changes and ideas for the future abound. There's comfort just knowing that's possible again.

So, With A Grateful Heart is here again. I'm glad. When I saw it open again this morning I just smiled. Sat and smiled as if an old friend has just walked in the room - because it's true. I'll never take this part of my life for granted again. Honestly, I won't!

Here Again!

It may seem that I've been hiding - but that's not what happened to me!  Life just seems to keep coming faster and faster.  And, then, Spring and Summer came along and I'm positive life picked up speed and went even faster than before! So - here's a bit of what I have been doing while I was away.

Around the first of May my vintage trailer, Daffodil, came out of her winter spot in the corner of the backyard.  She hadn't fared as well as planned through the winter months.  Winter wasn't totally kind to her and there was a bit of work that needed to be done to make things right again. (We know what we will do different next winter!)  Before the work was completed my sweetheart gave her a good 'bath' so I could take her to a girlfriends' camp-out in the mountains between home and the coast.  We had fun and, as always, I learned a few more lessons about life with a trailer.  It seems there's always something that doesn't go quite as planned but that gives me opportunities to experience new things I need to know about life with Daffodil.  Things really began to change shortly after she and I came home from that camp-out.  We took out almost everything that wasn't fastened down and got to work.  Miss Daffodil is getting a makeover!  We had to deal with the issues caused by winter storage.  That gave way to some beautiful changes inside!  We're putting things back together this week and soon - very soon - her new look will revealed.  While she was already the cutest, little trailer you could imagine, soon she will be everything I originally dreamed she could be.  I can't wait to show you what's new!  And I'll share a bit about our camp-out, too.

Around here you never know what's going to happen when you leave the room!  One morning not long ago I got up early.  I let Joey, my little dog, out of his crate where he sleeps at night.  We went through our morning routine - a short trip out to the backyard for him, opening curtains and blinds to welcome the new day for me and then a bit of quiet time to start the day in the living room before activities of the day begin.  I returned to our bedroom to get something and I could hardly believe my eyes!  Someone (!) had put Joey on our bed and that little rascal had made himself right at home in the very spot where I had been sleeping a short time before!
Someone commented on my Facebook page that my sweetheart and I go away from home more than anyone they know!  It may seem that way at first glance but, if you know what our lives involve right now, you know that we are overseeing everything for the care of my dear, little ninety-three-year-old mother.  Her needs are increasing and the load gets heavier as time goes by.  It would be very easy for 'us' to get lost in the demands of the days.  My sweetheart and I believe it's very important to keep that from happening so we take time here and there to get away and spend time together.  One of those times took us on a recent day trip to explore an area not too far from home - an area where we thought we might like to go for a few days of vacation.  We headed south a ways and then turned east toward the mountains.  Around lunch time we passed through a little town part way to our destination.  We decided to stop and eat at a little place along the highway.  We could tell by the full parking lot that it must be a good place for lunch.  Before we could get in the building I spied something I just had to see!  This is the tiniest vintage trailer I have ever seen.  The owner walked by and offered to let us look inside.  It's a guy place so I decided not to take pictures inside.  I could imagine what I would do if it were mine!  It's smaller than Daffodil but absolutely darling. He added an extra long 'tongue' on the front so he can carry two motorcycles.  Certainly not something I would do! 

After lunch we continued on to our destination.  Last year I showed you a 'lake' that had been devastated by drought.  It looked like this when I shared it with you.  It was just a river off in the distance!

This is what it looks like this year.  This was taken from the same spot as last year's photo but not zoomed in as much - and it was a cloudy day so the mountain was hiding.

There's a saying here in Oregon - 'If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes!'  Our trip home from the lake was testimony to the truth of that statement.

 A few minutes later and a few miles farther north.

We did return to the lake for a few days of vacation last week.  I'll share more of that time with you on another day.  My sweetheart spent time early each morning searching for fish!  Although he wasn't as successful as he hoped to be we did bring home fish that went into the freezer for a few future meals.  We had a beautiful campsite and the weather was perfect.  Every evening after dinner my sweetheart took Joey and me for a boat ride on the lake.  We all wore our life jackets - even Joey.

Time on the lake was so refreshing and all the cares of the day that tried to fill my mind just seemed to vanish.  I told my sweetheart, 'This is what life should be!'  I'm totally convinced we should buy a house on a lake so we can take evening rides after dinner every night!

  
    Gratefully,