Beauty in the Desert

There is beauty all around us--sometimes we just have to take the time to find it.

When we think of beauty, we may picture an island in the tropics with crystal clear water, white sandy beaches and swaying palms. Or we might think of a snow-covered landscape with smoke curling above the chimney of a cabin nestled under a canopy of trees next to a winding river. Do we ever think of a hot, dry barren desert as a thing of beauty?

Temperatures in the desert can soar to over 100 degrees during the summer; not very comfortable for those of us who prefer cooler climates and air-conditioning. However, if you venture out early in the morning, before it gets hot, the sights that greet you can be as beautiful as anything on this earth.

"He hath made everything beautiful in His time." Ecclesiastes 3:11

Like Children

"Except ye.... become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3, 4

There is no doubt that my husband and I will get into heaven, if all we have to do is to become as little children. Now, I know that the Bible is referring to something other than just acting like kids, but what if that were all we had to do?

We recently went for a drive down to the Snake River, where we had fun taking photos and tossing rocks into the river. Then we decided to take pictures of us tossing rocks into the river. Then....we decided to take pictures of the splashes made by the rocks we were tossing into the river.

Aaaaah, to be children again!

"Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalm 127:3)

Children: You feed them, change their diapers, wipe their runny noses, tend their skinned knees, and wipe away their tears. Then they grow up, move away from home, go to college, get jobs, get married, and create new families of their own.

The cycle continues, generation after generation, passing down family traditions and keepsakes. And as such, each of us moves into new roles--from children to parents to grandparents. I don't even want to think about being a great-grandparent!

Being a grandparent is an awesome responsibility. It's more than feeding, changing diapers, wiping runny noses--you get the picture. It's sharing family history and teaching values. Sometimes, it's telling stories that even your children never heard (or never listened to)! It's holding up and honoring your children in the eyes of their children. It's respecting the rules of your children's household, now that they are parents with children of their own.

And it's a LOT of fun!

The Simple Life

Remember when life was simple? For many of us, it was a long, long time ago, in a faraway land when we were knee high to a grasshopper. Pleasures were simple: blowing bubbles, playing in a sandbox, trying to swing as high as the trees, playing in a wading pool.

Childhood memories are something that we never forget. We may not always remember everything, but there are always a few things that stand out in our minds, no matter how old we get.

For example, I remember when my brother and his friends climbed up on the top of the playhouse and slid down into the wading pool. The pool was only 15" deep, and they were probably lucky they didn't break their necks!

Then there was the time that my brother and his friend missed the school bus, so they decided to walk to school. It was 10 miles to the school, in another town, and the school called our mother and said her son was missing from school. You can imagine how well that was received!

When I was little, I remember playing in our wading pool in our backyard. (This was before my brother's escapade of jumping off of the playhouse roof!) Back in the days before plastic was commonplace, toys were made out of whatever we could find around the house. I was using an old one-pound Folger's coffee can to scoop water out of the pool. Unfortunately, I cut my hand on the rim of the can, and I still bear the scar to this day.

One time, one of my girlfriends and I had gone for a drive in my brand-new-to-me 1967 Ford Mustang. We were parked on the side of the road in the mountains taking photos when a huge boulder about half the size of a Volkswagen Beetle rolled down the side of the mountain. It bounced onto the road and off to the shoulder, where it landed about 50 feet in front of my car. Whew! That was close!

Memories: Some are happy, some are sad, but they are all a part of who we are. I wouldn't trade my memories for anything.

Donkey Makeover

Thirty years ago, Poncho joined our family. Actually, it wasn't much of a family at that time--there was just Mr. and Mrs. Anyway, Poncho was a gift for my birthday, and he has continued to stay with us through all of our moves. He is short in stature, but because he is made of solid concrete, he weighs about 75 pounds. Moving him is no easy task.

Over the years, he has begun to deteriorate. His coloring was fading and his hooves were gradually being worn down. Last weekend, I decided to give him a makeover. After spending an hour or so researching what type of paint to use, I went to the craft supply store and came home with a selection of paints, brushes and a spray fixative to protect his final coat.

Now he sports a shiny brown coat with black highlights and his cargo baskets are red with yellow accents. He packs a geranium plant in each of his cargo baskets and greets visitors on their way to the front door. I have to ask myself why I waited so long to give him a makeover! He looks like a brand new donkey!

Livin' in the Hood

Did you know that I live in the "hood"? I have lived through babyhood, toddlerhood, childhood, and motherhood. Now I am cruising through grandmotherhood and loving every minute of it.

As mothers, we spend years watching our children grow up, maturing from children into young adults. We don't expect them to present us with grandchildren, but when they do, it is a time of renewal and reminiscing. Watching my granddaughter explore her surroundings as she grows older reminds me of when my children were little. And watching my children as they interact with their children reminds me of my trials and tribulations as a mother.

Watching a grandchild explore the world of bubbles is an awesome experience and it's even more fun when you add a granddog! My granddaughter was blowing so hard, I thought she would pass out. My granddog was so busy trying to eat the bubbles that she probably has the cleanest intestines in the canine world!

The Bible says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it." (Proverbs 22:6)

Well, I took that to heart today and decided to teach Morgan how to wash the cars. We filled a bucket with soapy water, handed her a sponge, and taught her how to use the hose (and very nearly squirted water into the neighbor's car, which had the windows rolled down). Oooops! I figure that by next year, she'll be ready to wash the car by herself!

Happy Mother's Day!

Once a year, a special day is set aside every year to honor mothers everywhere. Celebrations range from picnics to brunches to all-out banquets. Flowers and candy are the usual gifts. But what matters the most? People.

I was honored this year with the greatest Mother's Day gift ever: the gift of my children returning to the nest to say I love you, Mom. Not only did they return, but it was a total surprise.

I was sitting on the sofa on Friday evening when the doorbell rang and I saw someone running away. Thinking it was the neighbor kid (who, by the way, has never played "doorbell ditch"), I was slow to get up and answer it. Instead, my husband volunteered to go out and see who was there. I just sat on the sofa and continued to read my book. He came back in, closed the door and said he didn't see anyone. Seconds later, the door burst open (well, maybe not "burst") and in walked Becky and Ruth and Jason and my granddog, Raina. What a surprise! They had driven from Oregon/Washington to spend time this weekend with me and with Jason's mom, since she was also down here visiting her mom.

On Sunday, the girls--Rebecca, Rachel and Ruth--took me out to brunch. It was delicious! I wish I had photos to share, but they were taken on Ruth's camera.

Girls....thank you! I am glad you are my daughters!