12-12-12

If I thought I could quietly sneak in a milestone birthday this year, I was mistaken. I turned fifty on 12-12-12 (what a cool date!) which happened to be a Wednesday school day. This is what I saw when I opened my classroom door in the morning.

There were streamers and "Happy Birthday" signs all over the room, along with a birthday hat and noisemaker blowers at each student's seat. I was given a birthday tiara and 50 necklace and escorted to our teachers' lounge and seated in a decorated chair for our staff devotions. The teachers all had party hats as well - we do love to have a good time at my school! 

The kids loved the hats and blowers, so I gave them a few minutes to pose for pictures and then we settled in to the day's work. 

The fun was just beginning, however. All throughout the day gift bags, signs, singing telegrams, and classes of students kept appearing at our classroom to wish me a happy 50th birthday. The whole school actually sang Happy Birthday to me in the hallway just before recess. How cool is that?? By the end of the day I had a box filled with gifts and remembrances from my colleagues!

I later found out that my colleagues friends had set up a Google doc to plan the whole day, each writing down what they would do. 

lots to eat and drink

gift cards

beautiful scarves

just for fun ... and to help me get used to that big number

staying healthy and organized

even a "personal" birthday greeting from Donny Osmond!

50 jean days!

(a gift from my principal)

At lunch time I was surprised by a couple moms from my class with a pizza lunch for our class, along with a beautiful (and delicious) cake and a gift card to a local store from the kids!

The kids also made me a book:

I love these two examples (can you tell which was made by a girl and which was made by a boy?)  :)

My birthday treat for my students was s'mores - baked for 5 minutes in the oven. They loved them, even without a campfire. 

And another friend sent a large chocolate-chip cookie to school for my birthday.

Finally, after a day filled with surprises and plenty of sugar, I sent my students home and went to our district Christmas after-school coffee/carol sing ... where I was sung to again! Definitely not going to forget this birthday!

That evening my parents took me out for a wonderful dinner at Alpenrose Restaurant.

Whew - what a day!

But there was still one more surprise. I had made plans with another teacher to meet for supper the following night. But when we walked to the back of the restaurant there were nine additional teachers there to surprise me! How fun!

I am very blessed to work with such wonderful, fun people! 

I will remember 12-12-12 as a very good day. 

I loved my forties ... maybe the fifties will be just as good?

Some Days

Some days are hard.

It takes all your effort just to get out of bed and begin the new day.

You feel disconnected from everything and everyone.

You set a smile on your face and say I’m fine.

But there’s an underlying sadness that goes deep to the core of your being.

You just want to go home, pull the blankets over yourself, and hide.

You tell yourself, Snap out of it, but that’s easier said than done.

Some days are just hard.

Other days are better.

You can sit and talk with friends, laugh, and enjoy yourself.

You live in the moment and can look forward to planned events.

The sadness is still there, but it’s hiding below the surface.

You say This is a good day.

You feel like you’re making progress – moving forward on this journey.

          Hoping for more "better days" to come.

Thankful List

For the past several years I’ve developed a Thankful List in November.  (See previous lists: 2010, 2011) With this Thanksgiving post I’ve decided to share some of the items on my students’ lists.

I noticed a Facebook trend this month in which people list things they’re thankful for each day on their status update. I think it’s a great idea, and it’s been neat to see the different lists people share.

I decided to adapt this idea a little with my second graders and have them make individual thankful lists. So, each day as part of our morning routine during the month of November, the students open their ipad and go to the Pages app where they add another thing they’re thankful for to their list. We haven’t done any group brainstorming for ideas, although each week students may share a few of their items with the class if they wish. And it’s been fun watching them share their lists with each other in small groups. The kids have found it fairly easy to think of a variety of blessings to be thankful for. We’ve even talked about continuing our lists through the month of December. As of yesterday, our lists consisted of 20 things (although several students have gone ahead and were on #30 or 34!)

Although many of their items are fairly typical (family, friends, etc.), I was impressed at the thoughtfulness and deep thinking of many of their items. So, here’s a compilation of some of the things my second graders are thankful for:

     rain                    animals                    neighbors                    peace                    butterflies

     colors                books                        love                            water                     forgiveness

     chapel               music                        shoes                          faith                       Bible

     time                   ice                            church                         sand                       tools

     healing             beach                          holidays                      sports                     grass

     air                      sky                           The Cross                     Jesus                  heaven

We give you thanks, O God.

       

Farjuffled

I was looking for a word to describe how I’ve felt during the past month in my “new normal.” At first I came up with confliction, a word I made up by putting two words together: conflicting + emotions = confliction. But when I did an online search I found at least one dictionary that said it was a real word meaning a fight or strong disagreement. And that is not what I mean by it. (So much for making up words!) So I searched again for words meaning “conflicting emotions” and found the word farjuffled on urbandictionary.com. So that’s the word I’m going with to describe my life lately – farjuffled. Conflicting emotions. Happy sad.

Actually, I don’t think one word can accurately describe how I feel. School is going well; we’ve developed our classroom routines and I’m enjoying my students. My mind is occupied throughout the day with children, curriculum, and everything school-related. No time to think about anything else during the day.

My new normal at home is to have both the radio and TV on throughout the evening, just for the noise factor. Otherwise the house is too quiet. The biggest change at home is that I now sit by the television to grade papers and do schoolwork. I’ve watched very little television during the past few years (with only basic cable there was really nothing worth watching), so I always sat on my comfy couch and listened to the radio (with Tosca on the floor, next to me). Thankfully, this past summer I upgraded to full cable, because I need the noise of TV programming right now – keeps my mind somewhat occupied during the evenings. (I’m surviving on episodes of “Everybody Loves Raymond and old TCM movies!)

I’ve enjoyed the ability to make plans with family/friends without worrying about being home by a certain time to take care of Tosca. I actually visited Art Prize four times this year – it was great to spend evenings with friends in downtown Grand Rapids looking at all the artwork. I also attended a GR Symphony concert and a show by the Blue Man Group. I do enjoy the freedom of making plans and being able to go away when I feel like it.

I’ll go for several days feeling pretty good – almost happy at times. And I’ll think things are getting better. I’m moving on. But then something happens (often unexpectedly) which brings me to tears. Like forgetting I’m in charge of staff devotions at school or seeing a Husky dog.

Weekends are the most difficult. Two whole days … to think and remember. I’ve spent at least part of almost every weekend at my parents’ house and am thankful for their standing invitation. It’s been good to get away from my empty house and spend time with my parents. Although I’m starting to feel like a regular attendee at their church! (I will get back to my own church soon.)

I know grieving is a process that takes time. It is getting better. I’ve looked at Petfinders.com a couple times but realize I’m not ready for another dog yet. I still miss Tosca and only want her right now. So I’ll continue to deal with my conflictions and farjuffled feelings. Life goes on.

One Month

Hard to believe. At times it seems like yesterday; other times it seems like ages since I sat next to her, stroking her fur. I’m very thankful for school, which keeps me focused and busy throughout the day. But it’s amazing how, so often, as I return to my classroom after car duty at the end of the school day, the shadow of grief and loss envelopes me. It’s not as intense as the first couple weeks, but it’s still there. She was more than just a dog to me; she was a huge part of my life for fourteen years, and I feel so alone without her. I’ve spent at least part of each weekend in Grand Rapids with my parents as it’s so quiet and empty at home. 

This is the first weekend I’ve stayed home. My goal for Saturday was to clean the house. I haven’t cleaned since the week before she died. I haven’t been around enough or in the mood; it definitely needed to be cleaned. And I got it done. But it surprised me how difficult it was. As I dusted and vacuumed, it seemed I was erasing all traces of her. I had to stop several times as little tufts of fur tucked in the edges of the carpet were sucked up the vacuum hose. After all the years of complaining about her fur all over the house, now I’m crying because it’s the last time I’ll sweep it up. Even bringing the full vacuum bag out to the trash was hard. But, although the physical traces are gone from the floor and furniture, Tosca is still here in my heart. Anyway, it was a difficult and emotional day. But the house looks great!  And I spent a wonderful evening with my parents and extended family celebrating my dad’s birthday at a local restaurant.

Today I went hiking by myself for the first time. Without Tosca, I don’t think I ever would have even thought about hiking. I was always an “inside person.” I started hiking when I got her and have grown to love walking out in the woods. It was something we loved to do together. She was always so excited whenever we’d get out of the car and she’d pull on the leash, eager to see what there was to explore. I spent about two hours at Hemlock Crossings County Park, one of my favorite places. It was a beautiful day – perfect for a walk in the woods. I went in her memory – to remember the good times we had hiking together. But I also went to prove to myself that I could go hiking by myself. I don’t have to give this up, even if she’s not here. Someday, when I get another dog, I hope to take her hiking too. But walking in the woods offers the perfect setting to pray and think, and I needed to show myself that I can still do it by myself. (I also realized that it’s quite a bit quieter hiking without a dog – saw a rabbit hiding near a tree and a group of ants on the path busily gathering supplies.) It was good to be outside in the woods – remembering, thinking, and praying.

Change

Five Minute Friday: Change

The house is so quiet and empty.  I can hardly stand to turn the door handle and go inside, knowing she’s not there. It’s been two weeks and I still miss her so much. I feel empty inside – like a piece of me is missing. She’s been a part of my life for so long; adjusting to life without her is difficult. I hate death and what it brings: pain, separation, loneliness, and grief. I long for the day when God will restore all that’s good with a remade, perfect world. I want to return to the past, when she was here and healthy and relive all the good times we had together. I wonder about the future – what does God have in store for me? It’s the present – the now – living through this change that is so hard. I’m so thankful for God’s presence and the care of family and friends who understand. And I know I will get through this; it will just take time.

Good-bye

How do you say goodbye to a loving companion?

            who has been at your side for 14 years,

            cuddling next to you on the couch,

           

            walking by your side,

            waiting eagerly for you to return home from work each day,

            trusting you to take care of her.

It will be so hard to walk into the empty house –

            looking for her food dish,

            her toys,

            her loving greeting.

No more toenails clicking down the hall.

No more dog fur sticking to the furniture.

No more stroking her beautiful silky fur.

            And no more watching her struggle to walk on her arthritic legs,

           

            no more pacing and turning to find a comfortable position when her  

              aged body is filled with pain,

            no more looks of confusion as if she can’t remember what to do or 

             where to go.

How do you say goodbye to a loving companion?

            Through tear-filled eyes as you hold her on your lap for the last time

            through whispers of “I love you” as she takes her last breath

           through the knowledge that you’ve kept your promise to love and take 

            care of her to the end

            through memories and pictures and past blog posts

And then you take it one day minute at a time –

            missing her incredibly, but thankful for the years you spent together.

In memory of Tosca  

(1998 – Aug. 18, 2012)

Tosca

She stumbles as she steps forward, and I remember …

         how she used to race ahead, pulling on her leash, as we walked through the neighborhood. 

We take a slow and deliberate walk around one single street block, and I remember …   

        back when we’d hike through wooded trails for hours at a time; her tail wagging with excitement as she’d sniff and explore every inch of the path.

Occasionally she’ll look at the (younger) neighbor dog with interest, and I remember …

         how she loved playing in a group at the dog park: tail wagging, exuberant barking, tongue hanging out – the thrill of the chase.

She’s fifteen years old – old for a dog.  She’s aged a lot during the past year: she’s virtually deaf and can’t see as well as she used to, her back legs lean in because of arthritis, she sleeps a lot more, and she’s on medication for chronic kidney disease. And last week she decided to leap off the back deck (a bit of dementia??), resulting in strained muscles and a pronounced limp, which means I now need to carry her down the deck when she goes outside.

It’s hard watching her age. I don’t like seeing all her limitations. It’s frustrating dealing with bathroom accidents and endless panting/pacing because of anxiety. At times I get angry and then feel guilty for being angry when she can’t help it.

I remember so many good times:

- camping trips, hiking at state parks, vacations to Pennsylvania and Florida and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (her joy every time we stopped at a Rest Area!)

- visiting my classroom at school several times each year to meet my second graders. The kids would run with her outside, paint pictures of her, and write stories about her visit. She’d also come and keep me company whenever I spent time at school on Saturdays; I’d be working in the room and she’d be racing down the hallway. This was the first year she didn’t come to school.

- watching her devour play with the stuffed animals I’d buy her. She’d carry them around for a few days and then tear all the stuffing out and wait for a new one to arrive.

- she’d race and leap and prance around – I wish I had a video of her running.

- trying to teach her how to play fetch. I’d throw the tennis ball, she’d run after it, then she’d sit and look at it. (She never learned. Or, maybe she just liked the chase part.)

- such a “girly-dog” – She has a bandana for every month and season and would get so excited when I’d put a new one around her neck! 

She’s still a beautiful dog. Her eyes have lost some of their sparkle, her tail now only wags when she’s dreaming, and her face is speckled with grey. But the splotches of brown and black against her white fur, her perky ears, black freckles, and fluffy tail still remain an outward beauty.

And, inwardly, she has the same gentle and loving spirit that she had the day we first met at Chow Hound in Grand Rapids…

         when she leaned quietly against me as I sat on the floor for an hour, trying to decide whether she was the dog for me. She totally trusted me to take care of her. 

Ever since that day, she’s waited for me.  When we stayed with my parents and I left for a while, she’d wait at the door until I returned. When we visited the dog park, she’d play for several minutes and then suddenly look up, trying to find me and make sure I was still there. When she visited school, she’d play with the kids, but always kept me in sight.

She still trusts me to take care of her.  And I will, because I love her and made a commitment to her when I first brought her home fourteen years ago (tomorrow – Aug. 8).  And on the difficult days I’ll remember the good times. Because, even though it’s hard watching her struggle in her old age, I’m so thankful for her and the time we have together.

Looking Beyond

It's time for another Five Minute Friday, sponsored by Lisa Jo. Check here to see other writings on this prompt.

Writing Prompt: Beyond

My nephew carefully sorts through the pile of legos strewn across the floor. He follows the directions on the enclosed booklet, step by step, choosing the pieces displayed on the diagram among all the colored pieces lying around him, and eventually holds up the finished building – an ancient fortress from the “Lord of the Rings.” It looks exactly like the picture on the box.

Later, he takes apart his construction and pours all the pieces into a big container, mixing this set with all of his previous sets. He then spends hours – and many days – creating his own multitude of masterpieces. He looks beyond the pictures on the boxes to use his imagination … to see possibilities as he builds.

How often do I look beyond my complacent, comfortable life to see the rest of the world … the parts that aren’t like the intended “picture” on the box … and see the possibilities?  Can I move beyond my comfort zone?

How might God use me if I just let myself look beyond?

Home Repair Project #721

God didn’t intend for me to be a plumber. I’m fairly certain of this. But: there’s the internet and “How-To” videos and step-by-step directions (with pictures!) and “Do it yourself” and “save money” and my favorite – “it’s easy!” So I decided to do it myself. After all, it’s just a little leaky bathroom faucet. How hard could it be?

Although I first noticed the leak in April, I knew enough about my abilities to wait to tackle it during the summer, when I had plenty of time. But when summer arrived I kept putting it off. Could I really do it? It’s just a tiny leak; it only happens when I turn the hot water on. Maybe I should just leave it alone. 

But every time I saw that dribble of water appear, spreading around the hot water faucet, it annoyed me. I have to fix that, I thought. I'm an adult. I can do it. And so, last Saturday, it was finally time. (In retrospect, doing this project on a Saturday was probably not the best idea.) I did my homework: watched two video tutorials and found a website with step-by-step directions and photographs that I kept displayed on my laptop, and then I gathered up a screwdriver, wrench, flashlight, and several towels (just in case). Although the guy on the website said it should only take 15 minutes, I gave myself an hour. Starting at 9:45 on Saturday morning, I’d be finished before lunch and have the afternoon free for summer fun. Ready – set – Go!

First step: turn off the water supply. Next, cover the bottom of the sink with a rag so no parts slip down the drain. Then, find an Allen wrench to take the faucet off. (I had to call my dad to see if I had any Allen wrenches. Yes, I had a whole set on a nifty little key-ring – still in the unopened package!) Found one that worked and took off the hot water faucet decorative handle. Unscrew the silver thing Bonnie nut (see how much I’m learning?). So far, so good. This is kind of fun!

Next step: remove the faucet thingie where the water comes out faucet stem. Uh oh – mine doesn’t look like the one in the picture. How do I get it out? Google search: Delta bathroom faucet. Found a picture: cool – you can gently lift it out by the edge with a flat screwdriver. It comes right up … along with a spray of water!  (Oh yeah – I skipped part 2 of turning off the water supply. You also need to let the water already in the pipe drain out of the faucet.) Oh well – a quick little spray of water isn’t so bad.

Moving along: take out the little rubber washer seat and spring and replace. O.K. – I took them along and made a quick stop to the hardware store to find the correct replacement parts. Thankfully they had them in stock. Only $8.50 – look at all the money I saved by doing it myself! Got them in the faucet and decided to do the cold water faucet as well, since that washer was probably close to wearing out. Then it was time to put the stem back on. Make sure you replace stem in the same position. Let’s just say that it’s not as easy as it sounds with a little removable piece that goes either in the front or the back…glad I had thought to take a picture as I was removing it. Looking good – now to replace the handles and turn the water back on.

It still leaks. Not quite so fun anymore. The website says if the faucet still leaks the stem might need to be replaced as well. It’s now 11:45. Oh well, off to the store again. Except this time it takes three stores (and waiting for a train) to find the correct stem in stock (guess what: this package includes the parts I’ve already bought!). Another $20 – that’s O.K. I’m still saving money by doing it myself and now I have extra seats and springs in case I ever need to do this again.

1:15 p.m. Take the faucet apart again, remove the Bonnie nut again, lift the stem out (again) and replace it, making sure the spring and seat are still in the correct spot at the bottom. Put everything back together and turn the water back on. Cross your fingers.

Good news: it’s not leaking. 

Bad news: the water continuously pours out of the faucet, whether it’s on or off. Turning the handles does nothing.

I have no idea what I did wrong – the website says nothing about this possibility. I do a Google search: water pouring out of faucet whether it's on or off. No help. At this point it’s almost 2:00 and I’m done. I have no idea what to do to fix this. I’m sick of taking this faucet apart and putting it back together over and over. I realize: I need a professional plumber. I can’t do this. Very frustrating.

I spent the rest of Saturday and Sunday with the water turned off. Since I don’t didn’t have a shutoff valve in the bathroom, the water supply for the whole house was off. I’d turn it on for 5 minutes occasionally, but for the most part I had no water all weekend. And every time I turned it on I’d hear the water pouring from the bathroom faucet.

Monday morning: I turned the water on for a few minutes. I didn’t hear anything. I went into the bathroom. No water was coming out of the faucet. I turned the faucet on. The water came on. I turned it off – the water stopped. It worked. How – and why? I have no idea. I’m choosing to believe God performed a little miracle for me! 

I still called the plumber to come and check it out, just to make sure I didn’t do anything wrong. There were a couple other issues as well (hot water heater and low water pressure), but he said everything looked good.  And, while he was there, he installed a shutoff valve under the sink for the next time I try to fix something.

So, I didn’t save any money by doing it myself, but I learned how to take apart my faucet and what a Bonnie nut is and that I have a whole set of Allen wrenches and how much I appreciate having accessible water.  All in all, a very interesting weekend. 

I think I'll wait awhile before attempting my next Home Repair Project.

Enough: A Reminder

Five Minute Friday             Writing Prompt: Enough


Sometimes it seems my prayers are full of requests. Please be with so-and-so, help me to ..., give me ..., I need ..., please do this-or-that. It seems like I'm always asking God for more; it's never enough. 


Although these types of prayers aren't wrong, when I get off-balance in my types of prayers, I need to remember that He has given me enough.  There's an ancient Jewish song that begins: "If the Lord, the Lord, had rescued, only rescued us from Egypt, just the rescue would have been enough for us."  I need to remember that the Lord's rescue of me from my sin by Jesus - my salvation - is enough.


As I sat in the afternoon sun on my deck in the backyard earlier this week,  I heard the strong, clear sound of a cardinal. I peered up into the tree branches until I saw his bright red coat and then just watched him sing for several minutes. I could see his vibrating throat as he repeated his song of praise over and over. And I was reminded again of the numerous gifts God has given me.


If a cardinal can praise God through his song, surely I can praise Him in my prayers. I have enough. You, Lord, are enough.

Summer Reading (part 1)

I Love to read. That's one of the reasons I love summer - I can sit and read all day if I want to. And I've spent a few days doing just that this summer. When the daily "To Do" list includes weeding, cleaning the house, working on tech. curriculum for school, etc. it's so much easier to pick up a book and read just a chapter or two ...


So, now that I've finished one sheet from our local library's adult summer reading program, I'd better start working on some of my other projects before beginning my second sheet. Meanwhile, here's a look at the books I've already read this summer. Maybe there's one or two that will interest you as well. 

• Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks  Geraldine Brooks often takes an obscure historical fact and then develops a novel around it.  In this book, set in the Puritan 1660s of New England, two children: a daughter of a Calvinist minister and a native Wampanoag boy become friends and grow up together. We experience the culture clashes of the Puritan English and the Native American as Caleb, the Indian boy, becomes the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College. The true historical fact is that a young man named Caleb was the first native American to graduate from Harvard (in 1665).  I also enjoyed Geraldine Brooks' previous novel, People of the Book, based on another historical fact - the discovery of an ancient Jewish Haggadah.

• Lost in Shangi-La by Mitchell Zuckoff  I can't remember how I discovered this book, but it is a fascinating true story about a small US military plane that crashed in the remote New Guinea area at the end of World War 2. The book tells how the injured survivors hiked down a mountain into a valley, met the native tribespeople, and eventually were rescued in a daring operation as the inaccessible valley was too narrow for most planes. The valley was called Shangri-La after the book Lost Horizon, so of course I had to watch the old movie "Lost Horizon" after finishing this book. 

• The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis  I read this book in preparation of seeing the play based on the book.  It was a great combination of reading and then hearing/seeing the words come to life on stage; lots to ponder!

• State of Wonder by Ann Patchett  This novel takes place in the remote Amazon rainforest as a young pharmaceutical doctor sets off to find an older doctor who is doing research for a new drug in the rainforest. There's more to the story, of course, but it's a little difficult to describe quickly. It was an interesting book, but not one of my favorites. It's rather slow-moving and I couldn't really connect with any of the characters. I did realize that I have no desire to live out in the Amazon rainforest! 

• A Grown Up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson  I've read several of Jackson's novels, all set in the south, after hearing her speak at Calvin's Festival of Faith in Writing conference several years ago. This story deals with three generations of women, their relationships with each other, and their personal growth as they deal with the effects of a long-ago secret after a small grave is discovered in their backyard.

• Sister by Rosamond Lupton  Wow! I discovered this author from another reader on Facebook. She's written two mystery novels; I read them both within a week. Lots of twists (some I figured out, others surprised me) in this mystery set in London, England. The story revolves around a young woman and her investigation into the death of her younger sister. Did her sister commit suicide or was she murdered?

• Afterwards by Rosamond Lupton  Another mystery, this time involving a school fire in which a mother and daughter are injured. In an unusual manner, the mother and daughter try to discover who set the fire and why. Again, lots of twists, along with an interesting storytelling technique.

• The Weight of Heaven by Thrity Unrigar  This is the third novel I've read by Unrigar, whose stories are often set in India. This novel relates the story of Frank and Ellie Benton, an American couple who move to India after their young son dies. It describes their different ways of dealing with grief  as well as the way they deal with a new culture as they befriend the young son of their housekeeper and cook.

• One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp  I finally had time to sit down and read this book that so many people have recommended. It actually took quite a while for me to get into it as I found her writing a little distracting. She uses so much description that I felt it interfered with her overall message at times; I found it tiring to get through and had to force myself to continue with it.  It wasn't until I was over halfway through the book that I could finally focus on what she was saying. Although I was a little disappointed in her style of writing, I'm glad I read it as I really like much of her message and am trying to apply it - living in thankfulness and finding joy in all circumstances because of the love and grace of God.

Afternoon on the Lazy (Muskegon) River

Summer -

       sun, water, family, relaxation, nature ...

We had it all yesterday afternoon as our family meandered down part of the Muskegon River in Newaygo, floating on tubes and enjoying God's creation. My parents hosted this excursion to celebrate my niece and nephew's birthdays (they both love the water!). An originally planned 2.5 hour trip turned into 3+ hours of floating along the current, stopping to collect stones and shells (and watergrass to throw down the adults' backs!), playing in the water, and looking for wildlife.

This part of the Muskegon River holds special memories as my dad's parents had a trailer up here at Old Women's Bend many years ago. My sister and I remember spending time up here when we were kids. It was fun to find "our" island again. We even found their old trailer and dock, although it has changed quite a bit in forty (can that be right?) years.

A wonderful, summer day spent with my parents, sister & brother-in-law, niece, and one of my nephews.