Turning 18!( from April 16th...)

This is a BIG birthday for parents, really it is. I was not prepared for the flood of emotions evoked by the first child who turns 18 in the house....Morgan chose California Dreaming to have her dinner on her birthday. She and Matt went in the boat and met us there. We waited until the last minute to plan, so we could see how Bruce felt. Well, he was sure able to enjoy a wonderful dinner and we all had so much fun. We laughed, we cried, we ate, and almost melted her cake with the 18 candles!

This year, our family from Kentucky is coming to Charleston for vacation. I thought of you all and cannot wait to take you all to some of the beautiful restaurants on the water, go boating, enjoy the beach and downtown area! Enjoy the pictures.
Joanne

humility

Why do I have these dinner pictures followed by the disheveled picture of me on the phone? Well, they are not in the correct order...you see, the top pictures represent one of my favorite quotes: "Begin with the end in mind...."

I woke up one weekend feeling very down. One of those days...and I wanted to have a pity party, I really did. I planned to. I was having my coffee on the deck and feeling sorry for myself. Then, I thought, I can't do this, I can't go down this road...I need some inspiration. So I decided to call my friend, Saralyn. Saralyn is experiencing a lot of challenges right now. She is a strong Christian and a very smart person. I did call her, and I poured out my heart to her. I said something like "we should just go somewhere fun and get away..." She did the most wonderful thing a friend can do; she let me know just how much she cared. So much, that she let me know that NO we cannot run from our problems, our family, not even for a moment, not even emotionally, not at all. She encouraged me to run to them, towards all the emotions, the stress, the angers, and to give it all to God. He certainly is strong enough, large enough and more than able to take it all from us.

Thank you friend....the photos of the family happily eating dinner on the patio- I took your advice. God did the rest....He encouraged me and guided me to cook a wonderful dinner, and create a peaceful place right on my patio to serve my favorite people.  In essence, we CAN do all things through Christ!

Joanne

The blessings of boys, and brothers.....

When I reflect on my boys, many things come to mind.....boating, risk taking, sports, music, building, creating, tools....life is very interesting with boys! They challenge you to try new things, they invite you to take risks. I love the blessing of having both genders, and I revel in the uniqueness each brings to our lives. I discovered a love of boating and the water with Matt. I have the joy of the piano and cello with Michael. They are constantly trying new things, keeping me on my toes, and leading us into exploring new places and hobbies.

So many people have asked "what can I do to help" now that Bruce is not as active as he usually is? I am concerned about the boys not having their father ready to accompany them on the boat, or a camping trip. I am concerned about Matt, being 15, and in need of mentoring. God, of course, provides everything we need. I always admired my brother, Chris. We were never as close as I was with my sisters. He is a wonderful father,husband, and brother. Anyone reading this who knows him, is aware that he has a magnetic personality, that just draws others to him. God steered my family into a home right accross Harvorview Road from his family a little more than a year ago.We have strengthened our relationship with each other and our families.   We love his family! It has been a huge blessing to all of us. We are constantly back and forth, the boys playing, sharing meals, fun times, and lots and lots of laughter.

"What can I do for Bruce?" Chris asked me. I told him exactly what was needed: mentor the boys. Mentor the boys the way he does his own. He is a strong role model. He has reached out in so many ways to them. He takes Michael shopping to staples & lowes, because he knows Michael loves to go. He goes out on the boat with Matt, invites him camping with his son, and never seems too busy to take time with them.

So, Bruce can relax and take the time to rest during this round of chemotherapy. He can rest assured that God has once again, placed the perfect person, at the perfect time, in our path.

Enjoy your boys today. Love them for their boundless energy, their sense of adventure, their fearlessness.....

Happy Easter!

Joanne

P.S.

And, for anyone wondering how Bruce is doing....well, he is really really feeling the effects of the chemotherapy this time. He is asleep on the sofa, as I blog. He went to church today, but had to leave a little bit early. He is not one to complain, he is still smiling, but he is suffering, I can tell.