Category Archives: Blogs

Nineteenth Bloggy Anniversary!

The photo above is of my brother Steve working on setting up my blog. We were all gathered at Greg’s brother’s home in Anaheim Hills.

Way back in March of 2007 my brother Steve strongly encouraged me to start a blog and he helped me to set it all up. When things didn’t post right he’d help me sort out the glitches. We were living temporarily in Camarillo, California at the time and it was a good season for me to have something extra in my life like blogging. It has been a fun journey and has morphed over all the years.

In February of 2008 I met my first Blogging friend, Willow. Here’s what I wrote about it 18 years ago.

God is so good to me. He gave me two desires of my heart today! I’ve said over and over again how sweet it would be to meet one of my bloggy friends and how I’d love to have a walking buddy in Southern California after I left my walking buddies in Seattle, Washington. Today Willow and I met and had a walk and plan to walk on a regular basis, keeping each other accountable. How sweet it is! We found each other through blogging and realized we both live in the same city. We’re in the same stage of life and have a lot in common. Check out her blog, she has very exciting news today! She became a grandmother!

In April of 2008, Willow, Sara and I met up at the Getty Villa. Here’s what I wrote way back then.

On Monday Willow and I met Sara from Much ado About Something at the Getty Villa. This was the first time I met Sara face to face. Sara in person is true to who she is on her blog. She’s gracious, thoughtful, and kind. What a fun experience to meet bloggy friends in person. I’ll be posting more about the Getty soon.

Here we are at lunch at the Getty Cafe. Willow from Willow’s Cottage, Sara of Much Ado About Something and ellen b. from the Happy Wonderer. See ellen b. leaning over without wincing with back pain. Whoohoo!

I met the lovely Cori G. in Southern California just before Greg and I moved back to the Seattle area. We met up in January of 2009. Here’s what I wrote…

On Tuesday I drove to Orange County for a family dinner at my parents’ apartment with my sisters, SIL’s, and nieces. Cori G. form Gingerbread Crumbs & Co. and I have been regulars on each others blogs and she happens to live in Orange County so we arranged a face to face meeting close to my parent’s apartment. We had a very short time to meet and “talk” but what a joy it was to spend this short time asking questions and sharing a little bit more of our lives in person. I was surprised how fast our time went.

Cori G and I met up one more time before Greg and I moved back at a restaurant in San Marino.

The Monday before we left California Cori G! met me in San Marino for breakfast at Julienne. I was a distracted blogger that day and forgot to get a fresh photo of the two of us at Julienne.

In March of 2010 Greg and I met up with Sandy and her husband. We were driving from Camarillo back to our home in Kenmore after selling our condo in Camarillo.

On our trip back to Washington from California, Dear and I had dinner with Sandy from The Reluctant Entertainer and her husband. We had our fabulous meal and time of fellowship at the Winchester Inn in Ashland, Oregon. I knew Sandy lived close by and it worked out that she and her husband were available to meet us. We didn’t run out of things to talk about. Sandy shares my passion for food and fellowship around food. Her blog is about simple entertaining and creative hospitality. If you haven’t visited there yet click on over. This is Sandy’s photo that I asked for since my photo was blurry. Thank you Sandy! Look at those great salads! I’ll be posting more about this great Inn later…

This epic meetup with 5 of the Mennonite Girls Can Cook was life changing and it all grew out of blogging! This was in April of 2010 after Greg and I had moved back to Kenmore and left our sojourn in Southern California behind for good.

Whoohoo! I finally got to meet some of the Mennonite Girls from MGCC face to face on Tuesday. Five of the Canadian Mennonites had a field-trip down to the Skagit Valley to see the tulips and we all met up for lunch in La Conner. It was like we were old friends. Each gal is so unique yet so cohesive in the group. I don’t know if that’s the right word but I hope you understand what I mean…

I feel so blessed to have been adopted into the fold even though I’m not Mennonite. Many of our Russian recipes are similar to the Mennonite favorites.

Seeds of Friendship

I planted some seeds of friendship
All nice and neatly in a row
I tended to them with love and care
Then watched them sprout and grow

All ten of us when we gathered in British Columbia to sign contracts for our first cookbook in September of 2010.

So what makes it easy for 10 women all together for the first time ever to be relaxed and enjoy each other? I think it begins with our  faith in God, our savior Jesus Christ, our common comfort food experience, our heritage, and our openness to new adventures. I am aware of what a gift it is to have made this wonderful connection with these beautiful girls.

And then Herald Press came knocking at our door. This is a link to our October 2010 announcement.

In July of 2010 Dear and I met the Scrabble Queen from Scrabblequeen Knits for breakfast while we were in the Sacramento area for a funeral. She gifted me with some wonderful loose tea from England!

In April of 2011 during a ‘sister’ trip to Victoria on Vancouver Island my bloggy friend, Pondside, who lives on the island offered to pick me and my sisters up and give us a mini tour of some of her favorite spots. What a treat that was!

The last stop on our Victoria tour with Pondside was Hatley Castle. I can imagine how beautiful this location would be for a wedding when everything is blooming.

I really do thank God for many wonderful people I’ve met through blogging and blossoming friendships that continue. Pondside is one of those people who I thank God for bringing into my life.

On a weekend in July 2011 Jill a bloggy friend from Utah flew in for a visit at our house. We treated her to the usual tourist spots including the Lavender festival in Sequim. (pronounced squim). Andrew was in Afghanistan during this time so our daughter, Katie, was living with us and she was a great addition for our time at the lavender fields.

It’s a lot more fun with my navigator and a bloggy friend who understands that we take photos of everything! Jill and her camera are great companions for me. Here’s a link to Jill’s post about our time at the lavender fields.

And here’s another link to our Saturday shenanigans.

At a book signing in Winnepeg/Manitoba I was able to meet Millie from Wreathmaker. What a fun surprise to see her and her hubby at McNally Robinson bookstore.

In 2014 on Katie and my roadtrip from Seattle to North Carolina we arranged a meeting over lunch in Kansas City, Missouri with Pam from Abiding With Love. We had a wonderful meal paid for by Pam’s husband and great conversation with Pam and her daughter.

Pray for dear Pam as she has had health crisis after health crisis stemming from Lyme’s disease and now from a brain tumor her and her family call Georgia on my mind.

Several of these gals do not blog anymore. There are other gals who stopped blogging that I never met in person but would have liked to meet. Let’s see if my brain can remember them, Rosemary, Kim at Hiraeth, Gumbo Lily.  There are some bloggers that I miss who have left this earth like Vee, and Sally from Blue Monday.

To those of you who are still blogging, thank you and It would be a treat to meet you in person!

All in all, blogging has been a joy to me and I’ll keep going as long as it is reasonable for me to continue.

I’m coming to you today from somewhere on the Danube river! I prepped this post for my anniversary before we left on our trip. Hopefully by now I’ve posted some postcards of what we have seen so far! Thank you for following along!

T is for…

For April I’m challenging myself to an A-Z photo a day excluding Sundays and in addition to any regular posts that come to be.

Today is Wednesday April 23rd and we are on the letter T.

T is for Tea and Tea Rooms and High Tea and Tea for Two and a Table full!

Growing up, tea was the hot drink served most regularly. When there was ‘company’ involved with a meal, it was served at the end of the meal with some sort of sweet treat.

It has only been in the last 18 or so years that going to a tea room and enjoying high tea has been on my radar.

I love this photo of our daughter Katie drinking tea in our rented apartment in April of 2004 in Edinburgh.

Tea tables and tea times became front and center during my early blogging years.

This Blog-a-Thon at Gracious Hospitality by LaTeaDah lit the fire and inspired many table settings and hunting down tea rooms.

Living in Camarillo and closer to my California family for a few years (2006-2010) inspired planning tea times with family and friends. The first one was to celebrate our mom’s 85th birthday in 2008. We gathered at The Gilded Rose Manor Tea Room in Northridge, California.

SIL Kelly, Niece Melissa, Niece Jessica, Sister Kathy, Nadia~Mom and Babushka, Sister Vera, Niece Debbee, Niece Michelle, and me.

Our mom sharing words of wisdom.

There was a lot to learn about photography in those early years of blogging.

This was a fun tea room and it’s sad to report that it is no longer serving tea like many other tea rooms we have visited in the past 15 years.

There are too many tea experiences to try to post them all here for ‘T is for Tea’ this April. Maybe in May I’ll do a tea room or high tea experience a day until I run out of them.

Happy Wednesday everyone. If you are looking for Wednesday Hodgepodge it is the post before this one.

Green Without Envy Hodgepodge

It’s time once again for Wednesday Hodgepodge.

Many shades of green were enjoyed by our family on St. Patrick’s Day. Greg and I enjoyed a St. Patrick’s day lunch in Rathdrum, Idaho on our way to Coeur d’Alene. We ate at the Westwood Brewery on Main Street. Friendly staff and good food. My Mocktail was on their March specials. More about our getaway coming soon. Addy’s Irish Dance Group performed again at one of the elementary schools in town.

Thank you Joyce From This Side of the Pond for our Wednesday Hodgepodge Questions! 

1. I write the Hodgepodge questions so they’ll post on Sunday, which sometimes throws me off in terms of what day it is. St. Patrick’s Day will be celebrated on Monday, March 17th. Did you mark the day in some way? Wear green? Make a special meal? Watch or participate in a parade? 

On Monday, St. Patrick’s Day, we had an overnight getaway to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for my birthday. We stayed at an old converted School house B&B for the night. Last Thursday we enjoyed Corn Beef and Cabbage at the Senior Hub in Colville with entertainment from Addy’s Irish Dance Group.

2. Do you think luck plays a part in your life? Explain. 

No I do not. My life lies in the hands of a Sovereign God and His Providence. Piper defines this Providence as “Purposeful Sovereignty”. God accomplishes His will on our behalf.

3. Of the 15 green foods listed, which one is your favorite and how do you like it prepared?

Avocado is a favorite in any form; fresh out of the skin, on toast, chopped in salads, or fresh guacamole. Cucumbers are also a favorite.

Any on the list that are a hard no for you?

Nope

In general do you like fruits and veggies?

Yes

As a kid did you eat them willingly or did you hide peas in your napkin hoping your momma wouldn’t see? 

Many of these green items didn’t make it into my mom’s cooking when we were young. Cucumber and celery and pistachios and spinach were some common items in my mom’s cooking or snack foods. I didn’t meet the other green items until my college years and beyond!

Asparagus, avocado, broccoli, celery, cucumber, grape, green bean, kale, kiwi, lettuce, lime, 
pear, peas, pistachios, spinach

4. What’s something that makes you ‘turn green’? (with envy or with illness… whichever way you want to run with it)

It’s a mild green but I can be envious of those of you who have so many choices for good eateries in your own backyard. We joke around here in Colville about our slim pickins.

5. Did you spend a lot of time outdoors as a child? Doing what? Do you spend a lot of time outdoors now? Doing what? 

I did spend a lot of time outdoors as a child playing neighborhood games, jacks, going to the park, hide and seek, jump rope, tether ball. Nowadays winter finds us more housebound here. Later in Spring and Summer we start our yard work and we walk more.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

This is the historical establishment we stayed at in Coeur d’Alene. More about our stay in a later post.

 

March is speeding along. Tomorrow is our granddaughter’s 8th birthday and we’ll be celebrating her with all our family this coming weekend. Tomorrow is also the first day of Spring!

Happy Spring, Hodgepodgers and all who find themselves here.

Opportunity Abounds Hodgepodge

Fresh questions are up for Wednesday Hodgepodge thanks to Joyce From This Side of the Pond.

1.  It’s been said January is ‘the month of opportunity, inspiration, and change.” Which of the three do you need most right now? Elaborate. 

I’ll go with inspiration. A good dose of inspiration is always good. Inspiration to keep reading and learning. Inspiration to keep moving and giving my heart a good workout. Inspiration to encourage others. Inspiration to clean and organize the spaces in our home.

2. Do you consider opportunity as something that comes to you or something you create for yourself? 

I think it comes both ways. I’ve had many opportunities come my way in the course of doing what I enjoy. There’s a verse that comes to mind.

“Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the LORD is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

Some examples:

Through blogging (something I enjoy), God brought the Mennonite Girls Can Cook into my life with all the amazing experiences and friendships to enjoy.

Through singing in groups honoring Christ, God brought Greg and me together.

Through following Christ and staying involved in a church body, my life has had many opportunities to serve and enjoy many good gifts from God.

3. The British Museum opened on this date (January 15th) back”  in 1759. Do you like visiting museums? Do you have a favorite? 

I have a couple favorites in Southern California that I hope will still be standing after the fires in the L.A. area are finally under control!

The Getty Museum and the Getty Villa. These photos are from the Villa in Pacific Palisades from a visit enjoyed with my bloggy friends, Willow (Willow’s Cottage) and Sara (Come Away With Me) way back in 2008!

We’ve also had the opportunity to visit the Art Museums in New York, Chicago and London. They were all amazing. Unlike my husband and daughter, though, I tire easier than them and I am more casual about viewing everything.

4. It’s National Oatmeal Month (yes, apparently it gets a whole month as opposed to a single day). Do you like oatmeal? How often do you eat a bowl of oatmeal? How do you like yours? What about an oatmeal cookie? Is that a sweet treat you enjoy? 

I do enjoy all things oatmeal. I love a nice hot bowl of oatmeal with a little milk, brown sugar, raisins and walnuts. A good oatmeal cookie is always a treat I enjoy.

5.What’s something useful you learned in high school? 

I’m going to go with Junior High because that is where I learned to type and that is a skill that has been so very useful throughout my life!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Our two sons, Dan and Josh with our little granddaughter photo bomber.

We are celebrating these three this week in January! Jamie’s birthday is today, Dan’s tomorrow and Joshie’s is on Sunday. We’ll have a birthday dinner here on Saturday for our Colville kids and we’ll have to celebrate Josh over the miles with birthday greetings. God bless you and keep you and protect you! We love you, we love you, we love you!

Same son Dan and his wonderful wife, Jamie.

Hope all is well in your corners.

Pour It On Hodgepodge

Joyce from This Side of the Pond is dishing up some new Wednesday Hodgepodge questions just in time for Thanksgiving.

1. Talking turkey…are you cooking the turkey this year? Does ham belong on a Thanksgiving day menu?

I will not be the one who is cooking the turkey this year, our Colville kids will do the honors. Ham is not typically on our Thanksgiving day menu but this year there will be one. My side of the family grew up Kosher so I don’t crave any pork products. But now that I said that a BLT sounds real good right now! 🙂

When it comes to gravy do you pour it over your whole plate, skip it altogether, or land somewhere in between?

I pour the gravy on the turkey, potatoes and stuffing.

Cranberries-homemade or jelled right out of the can?

I’ve gone to the trouble of making homemade and the response to eating it hasn’t been great so it comes out of the can.

Do you look forward more to the main course, the savory sides, or the desserts?

On Thanksgiving, it’s the main course that I look most forward to.

I know there are at least a couple of bloggers who participate here who live outside the US and won’t be celebrating Thanksgiving. If that’s you feel free to adapt this question to your December (or any) holiday meal.

2. Holiday movies…tell us your favorite and what it is about the film that makes you love it. Is it the film itself or a memory it stirs?

Miracle on 34th Street is a Christmas movie that I enjoy. The original Die Hard is another favorite…what a contrast to Miracle on 34th Street!!

3. A favorite way to give back and help others? 

Giving unexpected gifts to those in need without them knowing who it’s from.

4. Name a place or setting you encountered this month that made you feel grateful.

Our church worship services make me feel grateful to be able to worship God with the melting pot of people in our congregation. 

5. Knowing what you know today, if you could redo yesterday what would you do differently?

Yesterday as in Tuesday the 26th of November I wouldn’t do anything differently. If you go back to my teen yesterdays there are a lot of things I would do differently. Naming just one: I wouldn’t date most of the guys I dated.

6. Spill your own random thought here.

Looking back at our Grands at their first Thanksgivings in 2017 and 2019…

 

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you Hodgepodgers in the USA. Happy end of November to everyone around the world!

Artful Hodgepodge

History and art is something I enjoy together. I took this photo at the National Cathedral in Washington D.C.  spring of 2011. George Washington in our National cathedral with the stained glass window and sunlight adding some highlights!

If it’s Wednesday it must be Hodgepodge. Thank you, Jo!

1. What’s something you think is under appreciated. Explain.  

The work that policemen have to do dealing with people who are mentally ill, drug addicts, and other people who have no respect for their authority is under appreciated. Policemen are important in restraining evil, for the health of our country and the safety of our citizens. I appreciate our Border Patrol Agents in the same way.

2. As winter approaches how do you stay productive?

It helps me to stay on top of things if I have company coming. Winter does make things harder when the snow and ice appear. Keeping my lists and ticking off the items is a good motivation for me.

3. What’s a popular food you don’t like? 

Sushi

4. What do you think is more interesting-art or history? Elaborate. 

Seeing works of art in an amazing historical cathedral is very satisfying to all my senses.

I find history in art very interesting.  It’s enjoyable to connect some historical facts to the places we travel to. Art is more interesting when I know something about the artist. Modern art has no appeal to me.

Children’s story illustrations/artwork are a favorite of mine, too.

5. What advice would you give to someone half your age? 

Don’t put off traveling. Plan the trip and go!

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Speaking of being productive in the winter, this two have a way of getting me moving…

We had our first sign of some snow in these parts. Addy also lost another tooth!

Thanks for popping by and leaving a comment. You are appreciated!

Four Somethings in October

I’m joining a new to me monthly blog party today called Share 4 Somethings 2024. Coming in late since there are only 3 of these left in 2024. Thank you to Jenn at Overflowing with Thankfulness for the party.

Today we’re talking about the things we loved or disliked, accomplished, improved upon/needs improvement, and noticed this month.

Since I’m coming in late, I’ll keep it simple.

Loved or Disliked…

October was a great month watching our kids (3 adult children and their spouses) and grands (two grands, a girl and a boy) soaking in the October moments on the westside of our state. I love that they make an effort to keep their relationships growing and enjoy time spent with each other.

I also loved seeing our grands with the pumpkins they picked at our local Pumpkin farm and corn maze. (photo at top of post)

I disliked the fact that our property taxes practically doubled this year. They are due on October 31st…scary. 🙂

Improved Upon/Needs Improvement…

I could use some improvement on my food plans for hubby and me.

Noticed this Month…

We live in a small country town in Northeast Washington State. We were on Main Street this week and I noticed this sign outside Redbird Boutique (a clothing store). The sign made me chuckle. Hunting season is real in these parts!

Wow! Here we are in the last weekend of October! Enjoy it while you can!

Thanks again, Jenn, for the linky party!

I’m Late, I’m Late…

…for a very important date!

The photo above is of my brother Steve creating my blog for me.

In March of 2007 when my brother told me he was going to start a blog for me I was a little afraid that I wouldn’t be able to handle the technology. He convinced me everything would be ok. We were at Greg’s brother’s home in Anaheim Hills, California. We started brain storming about what I should name it. We came up with a few fun names but the way I came up with my keeper is…

 

a. I’m generally a very happy person.

b. I’m also someone who wonders about a lot of things and have a deep need to know.

So as we were discussing point a and b my husband came up with The Happy Wonderer.

As far as the purpose of my blog I chose “to Honor and Encourage”. I’m an encourager to people around me and I wanted that reflected in the relationships I’d develop on my blog. It is very important to me to Honor Jesus Christ who is my LORD.  I want my words and posts to be things that will encourage people and be something that won’t reflect poorly on my relationship with Jesus.

My blog was born on March 3, 2007 which means I’m a little late in celebrating my 17th Bloggy Anniversary! 

I’ve had a few headers over the course of the 17 years.

Conwy Castle from our trip to Wales, Scotland and England in 2006 was one of my first headers. Greg took that photo.

I had a different view of this table from our Mennonite Girls Can Cook Tea to celebrate our second cookbook as my header for a few years.

My current header is just a stock header that I find easy to look at.

I used Photobucket for several years to store and post my photos to my blog and sadly they stopped being a free service and hijacked my photos.  They will let me have them again if I’m willing to pay but it is more than I want to pay. That was very disappointing to me. I have a lot of clean-up to do on my older posts.

I did have some technical challenges off and on with my blog and my brother Steve was my go to person who could fix things for me at the beginning.

I’m not participating in many blog carnivals anymore. They were very helpful at the beginning to get connected with others in the blogging community. Blue Monday, Tablescape Thursday, Photo Hunters, Friday Feast, Mosaic Monday, ABC Wednesday, WFMW, Show and Tell, Thankful Thursday, Friday’s Fave Five, Sky Watch, Recipe Round-Up, Ruby Tuesday, Before and After,  Wordless Wednesday, and many more were fun to join.

These days I’m participating in Hodgepodge Wednesday. On Thursdays I have my Truth for Today Bible Verse posts. Sundays are my Hymn days. The rest of the days are for what’s happening with family, our country bungalow, weather, travels and other events.

A big thanks to my brother Steve for nudging me into this fun activity that has opened up so much more of the world to me. Blogging has also improved my photography and given me ‘eyes to see’.

Lovella’s Blog is what connected me to my Mennonite Girls and my life is better because of my relationship with these ladies.

I’m grateful for the many friendships that have developed over the years with fellow bloggers. I met my walking buddy, Willow, in Camarillo through our blogs. I’ve been able to meet up with other bloggers from California, Kansas, Canada, Utah and Washington.

Thank you for visiting my blog and for the comments you leave. I have one survey question for fellow bloggers and those of you who leave comments. Do you prefer a reply to any comments even if it isn’t a question that you leave on a blog or would you rather someone visits your blog in return and reads and comments on your posts? Hope that question makes sense.

And the Blog Goes On Hodgepodge

Joyce From This Side of the Pond asks the questions for us to answer and get our brains engaged with Wednesday Hodgepodge. Thank you, Joyce.

Camarillo is where I started blogging. We were close to the Pacific Ocean and enjoyed many hikes along the coast. The photo above is from Sycamore Canyon just south of Point Mugu and north of Malibu in California. This was in the Santa Monica mountain range.

1.Why do you blog? Have your reasons changed over time? 

I started blogging in March of 2007 when we lived in a very small condo in California for a couple of years and I had lots of time on my hands. I enjoyed the weekly challenges like Blue Monday, Ruby Tuesday, ABC Wednesday, Tablescape Thursday, Friday Fave Five and many others. It was also good to journal the events going on in our lives and our family life. Through blogging I’ve met so many good friends over the years. Some I’ve been privileged to meet in person and others I cherish without ever meeting them face to face. Through blogging I became one of the Mennonite Girls Can Cook. What a joy that has been. It’s a creative outlet for me and lately has turned out to be a great tool for recall in my lapses of memory.

2. What’s a typical Friday night look like at your house?

Typically it is pretty boring unless we have our local kids over for dinner or if it’s a weekend that our Westside kids drive over.

3. Do you like donuts? Yes.

Your favorite kind? Cinnamon twist or maple bar or Jelly or Glazed or….

How often do you treat yourself to a donut? Not often but every time I step into Super 1 (one of our local grocery stores) and the donut aroma hits me I’m tempted.

Have you ever made homemade donuts? No

4. How do you feel about shopping? I like to shop when I have something in particular that I’m looking for.

Are you an online shopper? Only because I have to, not because I enjoy it.

Catalog shopper? Rarely

Brick and mortar shopper? Yes, because I like to see something and hold it in my hands before I buy it.

Do you order groceries online or prefer to select items with your own two hands? No online grocery shopping. I like to check dates on the products and make sure I’m getting the freshest loaf of bread, etc.

5. Next week’s Hodgepodge finds us somehow in the month of April, which just so happens to be National Poetry Month. Sum up (or tell us something about) your month of March in the form of a limerick. You can do it!! 

We celebrate March with cake
Not too early or late we bake
One young, one old
With joy behold
We celebrate March with Cake

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Our two family birthdays in March are 6 days apart, one in Winter and one in Spring. I’m the old one and the oldest one in our family of ten. Addy is the young one but not the youngest in our family. So thankful that we can celebrate each other. So much joy to behold. We’ll celebrate two more in April, the youngest of the males in our family. Birthdays celebrated four days apart and birthyears 30 years apart.

Bear With Me…

Bear with me as we navigate the changes in our lifestyle because of Greg’s recent stroke. My Feedly was overwhelmingly full and I had to mark all of those missed posts in the last week as read although I did not read them. Slowly but surely things will become a comfortable new normal for us at Our Country Bungalow. When that happens you will probably hear from me more and more.

We both (Greg and I) so appreciate the concern, love, and outpourings of prayer and encouragement we have received.

The following will be my journal notes of our experiences as I remember them from the 5th of November through the 13th so it will be long and I don’t expect y’all to read it.

Remember, remember the 5th of November will ring true for our family and not because of Guy Fawkes and the failed Gunpowder Plot of 1605.

Saturday November 5th I took a quick trip to Wal-Mart to get some extra ingredients for the tacos we planned to have for lunch. As we sat down to enjoy those tacos at approx. 1:30 pm Greg said his left hand wouldn’t work. He couldn’t make it work and it was numb. I said, “are you having a stroke?”. Very soon after calling our son I called 911 and asked for emergency assistance. First vehicle to pull up to our door was a Steven’s County Fire Department vehicle and right on it’s tail was the paramedic vehicle. Greg was assessed and it was verified that he most likely had suffered a stroke. As they wheeled him out to the ambulance our son arrived on the scene.

I’m journaling here to remember all the things to be thankful for…

Our children rallied and made phone calls, sending texts, driving to Spokane and back, arranging hotel rooms, airport runs, food deliveries. Our oldest Josh and Laura had just landed in Cancun when they got a text from their siblings about their dad having a stroke.

The afternoon of Greg’s stroke our son Dan arrived at our door before the ambulance left and drove me to the hospital. When Greg was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane by ambulance we each went to our homes to gather what we needed for an undetermined stay in a hotel by the hospital. Dan drove me to Spokane shortly after the ambulance left for the journey.

We arrived to the ICU and were able to see the beginning of care Greg would receive. Jamie had packed a cooler for our journey with tortilla wraps and chicken wings and lots of bottles of water and other snacks. The hotel we stayed in was across the street from the hospital which meant we could walk back and forth without having to navigate the parking garages at the huge complex. Only two visitors at a time are allowed into the hospital and into the rooms with very strict 9am until 6pm visiting hours for ICU extended to 6:45 for regular rooms.

This was very encouraging to read about Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center.

Every stroke is a medical emergency, even if symptoms go away quickly. If you know the warning signs and call 911 right away, you can help save lives and prevent or limit brain damage.

The nationally-recognized stroke team at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center provides rapid, high-level diagnosis and care at any hour. As a Primary Stroke Center, we’re certified by national leaders for meeting advanced standards of stroke care. The center is part of the Providence Neuroscience Center, a comprehensive, integrated neuroscience program that treats conditions of the brain and spine.

Our neurosurgeons and other specialists apply the latest expertise, technology and teamwork. Stroke can cause troubling symptoms, but with brain-savvy specialists on your side, you’re in good and capable hands.

We were definitely at the right place for Greg’s care. Thank you, Lord!

On Sunday morning Dan drove to Spokane International airport to pick up his sister Katie and Andrew who had taken an early morning flight from Everett, Washington to Spokane. Both mountain passes were closed the day before so they couldn’t drive over.

Sunday Jamie and our grands drove to Spokane to see us all and so that Dan would have a way to get home since he had driven my car with me to Spokane. Dan also needed to be home so he could change out their regular tires for snow tires since a good dump of snow was predicted in the early hours of Monday.

Late on Sunday, Greg was finally transferred out of ICU to the Vascular floor of the hospital to await his scheduled Tuesday afternoon surgery. Katie and I saw his new room and said our goodnights and were happy at the prospect of being able to visit on Monday with more creature comforts in the room…like chairs to sit in.

Andrew picked up Katie and me from the hospital and drove us right to Park Inn, a casual eatery behind the hotel, for a more relaxing bite to eat. That was nice.

Andrew needed to get back home for work responsibilities so Monday morning he tried to schedule an UBER to take him to the airport. He was able to get a flight which would be delayed because of the snow that fell overnight and the need to de-ice the planes. Spokane had about 3 inches of snow on the ground on Monday morning. The Uber driver cancelled so me and Katie got our big girl pants on and drove Andrew to the airport. Everyone was driving slow and easy so getting to the airport and back to the hotel was just fine. We parked the car at the hotel and walked like penguins to the hospital in time for visiting hours to begin.

Monday was one very long day in the hospital with very little happening in Greg’s room. He was able to take a shower which was very nice for him. He had less wires hooked up to him and that made moving easier and made him more comfortable. Katie and I had lunch in the hospital cafeteria. We advised Dan not to try to make the drive back to Spokane from Colville because the roads would not be in the best shape with the snow and ice. Besides, it was not a day that anything significant was going on. When visiting hours were over we had dinner of leftovers in our hotel room.

On Tuesday, the day of Greg’s surgery Dan wanted to see his dad before the surgery began so he and Jamie left Colville for the 90 minute + drive with their newly installed snow tires. They were detoured off of the main highway because of a fatal accident requiring two helicopter transports. Those helicopters would land on the highway. The detour delayed them and they were hoping to make it in time. They did with time to spare. Katie traded out her visiting privilege to her brother. We had many hurry up and wait moments during Greg’s stay in the hospital. Later than we thought his chariot for surgery arrived and Dan and I were able to follow him to the pre-op room outside of the surgery. Katie and Jamie would join us in the surgery waiting area as we were given permission for all 4 of us to wait there instead of just two of us. It was good to meet the surgeon, who explained what he would be doing and the risks etc., etc. The anesthesiologist also gave us a good rundown. The pre-op nurse was full of praise for the team that would be working on Greg.  They wheeled him out and Dan and I were shown to the right waiting room only to see that Katie and Jamie were not there. So the gal helping us took Dan to the other waiting room to escort Katie and Jamie to the correct one. We had snacks that Jamie had prepared for us while we waited.

I received phone calls from the nurses attending the surgery to let me know when Greg fell asleep with the help of anesthesia and another call when the surgery was over and he was being stitched up. There was still recovery time that would happen before he would be transferred to ICU for the night. The surgeon came to the waiting room with a vile to show us what he had scraped out of Greg’s carotid artery. Yuck! Our kids knew their dad would want to see that so they took a photo. The surgeon was gracious and shared that everything went well and he didn’t expect any complications. At this point it was getting close to the 6pm cut off for visitors in ICU so Dan and Jamie left to drive home. As Katie and I left the waiting room I got a call from the recovery nurse saying she was going to wheel Greg to the ICU and she would wait in the hall outside of ICU so we could see him before we left the hospital. That was very kind and we were happy to see him and give the nurse his glasses for when he woke up. He was loopy when I gave him a kiss goodnight.

Katie and I walked back to the hotel in freezing temps (we had freezing temps the whole time Greg was there) got into my car and headed back to Park Inn for a more relaxing meal before we tucked in for the night.

On Wednesday morning Dan, Jamie and the kids made the trip early to Spokane. We walked to the hospital together. Wednesday was a long and tense day as Greg expected to be released from the hospital and with good reason as the vascular surgeon gave the okay bright and early on Wednesday morning for him to be released. Come to find out the hospital wanted other boxes to be ticked for his release. We finally made it clear that we would not be fine with them keeping him for another night for all the hurry up and wait frustrations. The final doctor who came in and who mentioned a Thursday release was met with very firm stonewall on our part and she decided to make the release happen and it happened immediately. We scrambled. The nurse disconnected his leads. Katie called her brother. I helped Greg get dressed. Gathered up all the belongings and Katie stayed with Greg waiting for the wheel chair to wheel him out. I walked to the hotel and retrieved the car and headed back to the front doors of the hospital where they were just wheeling him out. Sheesh…perfect timing. We got him in the back seat on the driver’s side so the seat belt would not cut into his incision and went back to the hotel parking lot to gather up all our belongings, check out and hit the road home. We followed Dan and Jamie and the kids to the pharmacy where we would pick up Greg’s meds and continued on the road home.

When we arrived home our neighbor had cleared a path to our front door so Greg would not have to slip and slide through the snow.

We got Greg settled and he was so happy to be in his own space. Dan and Jamie and the kids headed home. Greg, Katie and I put our comfy clothes on and wondered how all this was going to play out. I know we had something to eat but I can’t remember what. When it was time to crawl into bed we slept some but both were up at 2am. Now what y’all need to know about Greg is that his normal wake up time is anywhere between 2am and 4am. This first night at home he woke up at 2am and because I was still on call in my head I was up at 2am, too. Oye! Thursday would be a very long day. Food, hydration, meds and rest were the goals for the day.

We needed to get our vehicle in for an oil change since we missed that appointment while we were in Spokane. The dealer was understanding and said to drop the vehicle off any time and they would work it into their schedule. A friend texted on Thursday and I asked if they could pick me up at the dealer and bring me home. When I got to the dealer and signed the car in I realized I had left my phone at home. (A little discombobulated I am). How was I going to text my friend to tell her I was at the dealer? Katie to the rescue. She realized soon after I left that my phone was still at home. She texted my friend to let her know I did not have my phone and also told her to pick me up at Safeway instead of the dealer so I could pick up a few items that would be easy for Greg to eat. They arrived just as I was done with my shopping and taxied me home. Thank you, Lord, for friends who are willing to go out of their way to help. Home again after a few crying breakdowns on the road.

Jamie to the rescue again arrived at 12:30 with a Instant Pot full of delicious hamburger soup and freshly baked cornbread. Addy and JJ got to see their Gramps at home all dressed and looking well. We all ate together and then Jamie and the grands headed home for naps but not before dropping me back to the dealers with my car ready to go.

Our grands have co-op homeschool on Fridays so Jamie stopped by after dropping them off to spend a few minutes with us. She took Greg’s eyeglasses with her when she left.

While in the hospital Greg’s wonky left hand knocked his eye glasses off, damaging them. We had to tape them so he could still see without being poked in the eye. At home we found an older pair for him to wear. Our DIL took the broken pair to a local optometrist who repaired them lickity split and would not charge her. Our DIL also came up with a phone sleeve that slips onto Greg’s hand so he can comfortably use his phone to talk and take messages without dropping the phone. She is such a sweet blessing to our family.

On Friday, too, since our daughter was still here I felt comfortable leaving the house to catch up on a few responsibilities I have. I needed to drop off some items at church and do a little organizing. When I headed to my car to leave the church building, Jamie had arrived there with the repaired glasses. So many pieces that work together. I am very thankful for these moments. On the way home I stopped at Walmart to get Greg some new slippers (that won’t slip) and another pair of flannel bottoms.

Saturday Jamie brought the grands over to say their goodbyes to Katie who would be flying home on Sunday. She also brought ingredients for a hot chocolate bar for us all to enjoy. Our temperatures here are still below freezing for much of the day. Jamie’s mom who is our grands’ granny sent along a floor puzzle to keep those little hands busy.

We had an easier and uneventful rest of the day on Saturday with a goal to stay awake past 5pm to see if we could sleep longer into the following morning.

On Sunday morning Katie got packed up and ready for Jamie to take her to the airport to fly home where she would get a warm welcome from her hubby Andrew and Willow their cat. We are so grateful for the days she could spend with us and for Jamie driving her to the airport. Dan took Sunday off to stay with our grands so Jamie could drive Katie.

Today Sunday after Katie and Jamie left we decided to have a little ride in the car to diminish some of the cabin fever Greg was experiencing. We drove to Chewelah to enjoy lunch at El Ranchito and on the way home we stopped at Wal-Mart to make a few purchases. It was good for both of us to test the waters in this way.

And just like that it has been a full week plus a day since Greg’s stroke. Whew!

We believe in the Providence of God. We know that Greg’s stroke will result in our growth in grace and trust in Him. From the Westminster Confession of Faith:

God the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, according to His infallible, fore-knowledge, and the free immutable counsel of His own will, to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, and mercy.

Hope you all have a good week.