Verse 10

May is half over already {actually more than half over. I'm late . . . out of state with no computer on the 15th and too much in my brain to figure out what verse I wanted to do anyway}, so it's time for a new verse! Here is the verse I'll be working on for the last half of May:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15.13 NIV)

If you don't know about my "resolution" to memorize 24 scriptures in 2009, you can check it out here.

What a weekend!

Well, we're home again! It was quite a 72 hours!

We left home at 5 o'clock on Friday morning to head to the airport. My dad spent the night at our house since my mom flew out a day earlier than us and we had to leave so early in the morning. Luke met us at the airport. We got through security without too much wait or trouble and made our way to our gate . . . one of the furthest ones. Way down the concourse! Luke met us at the airport and while sitting there we learned that our captain was sick and they had to call in a "sub", so our flight was delayed 30 minutes . . . I would have loved to have those extra 30 minutes of sleep! If only we would have known, oh well!

Anna and I got a little breakfast and I found it kinda fun that I got a Connecticut quarter back with my change . . . and a few hours later when I was buying a little lunch in Avon, Connecticut I got a Minnesota quarter with my change. What are the chances of that? I found it all very fun and somewhat meaningful!

Anna enjoying an airline snack on her very first flight:

So, back to the flight. What a blessing it was that the flight from MN wasn't full and Anna could have her very own seat. I buckled her car seat in to the plane and buckled her into the car seat. She slept for probably an hour or so and then was relatively happy the rest of the flight, with only occasional crying. She was quite a trooper {especially considering she had gotten up at 4:50 am . . . slightly earlier than usual!!}. We headed from the airport to my Grandma's apartment to help with the packing and sorting and throwing and moving . . . what a job! I took a few boxes of pictures back to the place we were staying and sorted through them while Anna took a nap.

We were met with so much kindness on our trip . . . much of it from people we didn't even know! The place we stayed was beautiful and couldn't have been more perfect. Some friends of my aunt & uncle let us stay in their "boat house". It's kind of a garage apartment at the back of their {spectacular} property. Private, spacious and beautiful . . . and did I mention, free? What a blessing. My parents and I stayed there {oh, Anna too!} and it was wonderful. A well-stocked kitchenette and beautiful spa-like bathroom, not to mention a TV at least 3 times bigger than the one in my living room!

So, I sorted through some pictures and Anna napped. Then we were picked up and taken to my aunt's long-time friend's house for dinner. It was nice and we all had a great time. Then it was back to the boat house to turn in for the night.

"The Girls" at Jodi's on Friday night
Anna, my mom {Marcia}, Shana, Denise {my dad's sister} & Brie {my cousin, Denise's daughter}:

Anna all ready and spiffed up for the service on Saturday
{we think my Grandma would have appreciated her outfit and loved her blouse}:

Saturday morning we got up and got ready and after being invited in to the main house for a little breakfast we headed over to the church. The service was beautiful and my mom's sister volunteered to come and watch Anna so that I wouldn't have to worry about her during the service. She napped in Auntie Dawn's arms nearly the whole time! How great!

Outside my Grandma's apartment after the service
Denise, Brie, my mom, Pete {Denise's husband}, my dad, Brad {my cousin} with baby Anna, a friend of Brie's and Luke:

I spent the evening with Anna back at the boat house. {My dad and brother had gone to a baseball game and without anyone thinking twice about it, took the car with Anna's car seat in it. So, we were stuck. Unable to go out. It was kind of nice to be "forced" to take it easy for the evening.} My mom joined us a little later and we had a good time just relaxing together. Anna had trouble getting to sleep on Saturday night {we all 4 slept in one big room, so there was no real way to be "out of sight" for her while she was falling asleep short of hanging out in the bathroom or going outside . . . did I mention it was cold and rainy?}. First we just put her in her pack 'n play and hoped for the best. When that didn't pan out, I finally brought her in bed with me and when that wasn't going well, my mom offered to try to put her to sleep for me, and probably 15 seconds later I was sound asleep! I'm not sure how long it took for my mom to get Anna to sleep, but the next thing I knew it was 4 am and Anna had a REALLY wet diaper and had woken up. I changed her and we snuggled a little and both went back to sleep until morning . . . thanks Mom!

Sunday morning we had brunch at my dad's brother Dennis' place. Dennis & Lori have a great house on amazingly beautiful property! It was fun to be together one last time on Sunday morning.

This is the barn that my dad & Dennis build together over a span of about a year, including two trips east for my dad. They started with the foundation last year and finished the stone on the outside in March when my Dad was there.

Den & Lori's beautiful house:

After brunch we ran Luke to the airport to catch his flight and then headed to my mom's sister's house. Dawn & Ken's place is also amazing and I love it there! We had lunch and hung out with them for a few hours before Anna & I had to get to the airport to catch our flight.

Dawn, my mom & Anna:

The flight home was not nearly as pleasant as the flight out {I guess it's better that way than the other way around . . . at least we knew we would be home soon}. I won't list all the reasons, but one big one was that I was unexpectedly very emotional when we were taking off. I was very sad at the funeral and cried a lot {surprise!}, but I didn't expect leaving Connecticut to be so hard. I was fine until the plane started off down then runway and then I just started crying. I guess it was probably a combination of things, but just knowing I would never be coming back to Connecticut to visit my grandparents again hit me pretty hard. I have other reasons to come to Connecticut {I still have family there} but it's just not quite the same now that my grandparents are gone. I remembered the many trips I'd made there in my lifetime and I was sad. {I'm sure it didn't help that the plane was completely full, Anna was on my lap without her own seat, she wasn't sleepy and a few other unpleasantries lumped in there!} But we made it and I'm thrilled that we are home again.

I cried again when I saw the rest of my little family. I missed them lots and was so happy to see them. {I got less happy a few minutes later when there was fighting in the van . . . but I guess I'll just take the euphoric, happy family moments when I can get them . . . fleeting though they may be!}

We're headed back to the airport again today for more tears and happy reunions as we go meet and welcome home Ava and her family. I can't wait. {I'm praying like crazy today that their flight is going well. I can't begin to imagine! . . . }

Flashback Friday

I love this picture of my silly girls
October 2005


{You might think to yourself, "Isn't she on an airplane right now?" The answer is yup, I am. But you can do write post ahead of time and "schedule" it to post at a later time. So, I thought ahead and did this post on Wednesday morning and just scheduled it for Friday. Oh the wonders of technology! I wouldn't let you to miss out on the fun of a good Flashback Friday now, would I?}

Ava update

Picture of Ava, hot off the presses
{ok, hot off the internet, but you know what I mean}:
This one is my favorite
{plus it might be the only one in which she's not crying . . . you've gotta love those sweet lips! I can't wait to kiss 'em!}

Well, they've met her! Praise God! They'll go back again for a visit on Friday {they met at a neutral location and then Ava went back home with her foster mom again . . . I imagine that's not too easy on them after all this waiting just to meet her and play for a while and then go back to their hotel without her and go about their touristy business. They'll all leave for home probably Sunday night, our time, I would guess. {They get in here on Monday afternoon!}.

Thankful Thursday

I always know this, but am reminded, afresh, of it in times of crisis . . . I have so many amazingly wonderful people in my life! The support, encouragement, offers of help, thoughtfulness and outright tangible blessings that people have offered to me since my grandma's death last week has meant so much to me. This world {especially my little chunk of it} has some top-notch, very kind, good people in it. When I get discouraged and think that the world is a pretty yucky place, I just think about all the great people in my world and I feel much better! There is lots of yuck in the world and, unfortunately, we hear over and over again about so much of the yuck that we forget that the vast majority of our world {although still overflowing with sin} is really quite beautiful and good. So to each of you who have blessed my life somehow this week, through all the plans and sadness and hub-bub and craziness and last minute stuff . . . THANK YOU! I love, appreciate and am thankful for you!

Happy Birthday Sharyn!

I just wanted to say a VERY Happy Birthday to "Grandma" Sharyn! We love you lots and hope you have a terrific day!

Ava update

Well, it seems there's some kind of delay with Ava's visa. Bummer! The whole gang was originally scheduled to fly home today, but yesterday they had to change their flight to tomorrow and, unfortunately, today they had to switch it once again to Monday. Hopefully things will come together quickly today so that they will actually get to come home on Monday and not have to delay it again. They are trying to stay positive and enjoy their extra time in Korea, but I'm getting discouraged, so I can't imagine how it is for them! They haven't even been allowed to meet Ava yet, due to the hang-ups. They have been told they can do that today, so that is a bright spot at least. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers for them! Hurry home baby girl!!

A little laugh for your day

Why did the toilet paper roll down the hill?
To get to the bottom!

Jacob told me that one while we were folding laundry this morning {yup, you guessed it . . . we were folding underwear!}. I thought it was funny! Have a great day!

Mother's Day & memories of Grandma

I had a wonderful Mother's Day! I spent time with my wonderful kiddos {& their Dad}, my mom and my mom's mom too {so many great women} along with my cousin, my brother and his family and my grandma's sister. Jacob, Rebekah & Lydia played the prelude for church {LJ played the piano, Jacob played the recorder while my grandma accompanied him on the piano and then played a number on the piano too and Rebekah played 3 numbers on the piano, one of which was a duet with my grandma}. We went for a delightful hike in the woods in the evening. I ran a few errands with Rebekah, the kids played well together and had fun outside. The food was yummy. I got an almond latte while still in bed to start my day . . . and drank it while finishing up a good book, still in my bed. It was a great day . . . except for the fact that I had to spend part of it getting things in order to go to the funeral of my other grandma.

I never thought when I wrote on her Mother's Day card last week and stuck it in the mail that she wouldn't be alive on Mother's Day. The thought never even entered my mind! Thankfully, I mailed it early {it had some fun, recent pictures in it too} and she got it on the day that she died . . . I'm so glad that I mailed it early! In my mind, I see her getting the mail {but probably my uncle Gregg got it for her . . . thanks, Gregg} and looking at the pictures and thinking of us that day as she laid down to take a nap.

Anna & I leave bright and early on Friday. We'll be in Connecticut by lunch time and will spend Friday getting stuff ready and doing whatever needs to be done. The funeral is at 11 on Saturday morning. Then we'll fly back home and arrive about bedtime around here on Sunday night.

I was given an assignment from the pastor who is doing the service {we all were given this assignment, not just me}. We were supposed to think of a memory of Grandmas and something that we will miss about her.

I asked Jacob and he said his memory of his great-grandma was when he played the piano at her house for her when he was in Connecticut with me for my grandpa's funeral in 2007. I'm sad to say that I didn't even remember that he played the piano there that day until he said that.

I am trying to decided which little snipit of memory to pass along to him: I have a vivid memory of riding in the back seat of a car to church on a Sunday morning with my grandma on one of our visits to Connecticut when I was a child. I don't remember how old I was, but I imagine I was about the age that my girls {the older 2, that is} are now. I remember playing with my grandma's hair. I remember feeling the hairspray in it. I remember snuggling up to her and playing with her hair all the way to church. If you know my grandma at all, you know that she took much care with her appearance {it doesn't seem I inherited that particular trait from her} and always looked great . . . great outfits, beautiful jewelry, makeup and hair all perfectly in place. I'm sure that day that I made a mess of her perfectly coiffed hair, but I don't remember her complaining or asking me to stop. I'm sure she headed straight to the bathroom when we got to church to try and repair the damage I'd done, but she didn't let on {that I remember, anyway}, she just let me play with her hair all the way to church! That's a grandma for you!

I will always remember that my grandma had to have the exact, precisely specific card for whatever the occasion was . . . "To my granddaughter and her husband as they celebrate their 8th anniversary" . . . you get the idea. {That's one I didn't inherit either, I prefer that the card itself be rather general and then specify it through what I write inside.} But not Grandma. I don't know where she found cards that specific, but no matter what the occasion she always found the perfect card and signed it with that handwriting that will always stay in my mind. And yet, she bought a few cards from me the past few years . . . now that's love, since the cards I make are probably the least specific cards around and probably not quite her style.

Plus, I'll never forget the fact that, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get Rebekah's name right. She always calls her Rachel. It started from the very beginning, as soon as she was born and continued from there. She would ask me about the kids when we'd talk on the phone . . . "How are Jacob and Rachel?" Sometimes I would correct her and sometimes I wouldn't. I know that she knew Rebekah's name, I just came out as Rachel a lot of the time!

I will miss the way she smelled. It was so "grandma" and it was always the same. Grandma always smelled good . . . she smelled like grandma!

Grandma

My grandma Carlson died yesterday. My grandpa died just over 2 years ago and she really hadn't been herself since. It was a very peaceful death. She laid down to take a nap and never got up. My uncle was there with her. I am sad, but relieved at the same time. She missed my grandpa so much and it's so wonderful to know that they are together again . . . perfect and with the Lord.

I love you, Grandma. I'll miss you.

Muriel Evelyn (Bjorklund) Carlson
October 18, 1925 - May 7, 2009

The Carlson Family
Christmas 1962
(my dad is the kid in the upper left)
me with my grandparents 1976

a page from Jacob's scrapbook

Grandma & Papa's visit, October 2005

At Papa's Funeral, March 2007
Grandma, me, Dad, Mom, Jacob, Luke & Jenn

The whole Carlson Bunch (well, most of us anyway!)
(and as a side comment, I LOVE that cross painting in the background. It's even better in person. I know you can't really get the full effect in the picture, but, trust me, it's great!)

me, Grandma & Luke -- March 2007

Flashback Friday

March 11, 1984

Rebekah & Lydia were baptized a couple weeks ago. Here is a picture of me on the day that I was baptized. I was 9. My good friend, Sheri, is on the right, I'm in the middle and, in all honestly, I cannot remember the name of the other girl . . . oh well. Pastor Ron {Eckert} baptized us, I miss him.
That's a very nice sweatsuit that I'm sportin', don't you think? And that air-dried hair is great . . . always did have a mind of it's own, my hair!

{In case you were wondering last weeks Flashback Friday was taken at Pay & Amy Schmidt's wedding. But it was at Central, which many people guessed correctl . . . but really, if you're gonna guess where it was taken Central is pretty safe. I mean, I've been there, on average, 2 or 3 times a week for my ENTIRE life!!}

They made it!

Well, I just got technological word from Al. They made it safely to Korea and are VERY tired! Praise God! {for the safe part, not so much the tired}

Thankful Thursday

I've got so very much to be thankful for, that's for sure!

Today I'm thankful for sleep! Anna has been sleeping all night {praise the Lord!} off and on for a few weeks now. Not every night, mind you, but she is learning and we're finally heading in the right direction. Waking up in the morning and realizing you've staying in your bed since collapsing there the night before is a splendid realization! Also, Joe has been spending all night in his own bed more often than not lately too . . . bonus! But, with 10 years of parenting come many other realizations as well, one of which is that everything ebbs and flows and things never stay the same {whether they are good or bad} for too long. So I'll try not to get too used to it and I'm not getting my hopes up that I'll sleep all night long every night from now on, but I'm still gonna enjoy it while I can!

Today I am also thankful for technology. It's much easier to be ok with the fact that my best friend is on the other side of the world becoming a mom again to a sweet little girl that they have waited for and worked hard for and longed for and prayed for for so long when I know that I can kind of keep up with their adventure, at least a little, through technology. But face-to-face, in person is a million times better, so next week when they are home {or almost home} I'll have something even better to be thankful for . . . hopefully a little Ava sighting! I can't wait!

And they're off . . .

Well, they're probably on the plane by now {or pretty soon}. They should take off within the hour. I have only talked to Al for about 10 minutes total since they got the news . . . if you don't count the 5 or 6 voicemails we've left each other trying to find that 10 mintues when we were both available to talk . . . and after all that we got cut a little short by a certain needy 4-year-old who was throwing a little fit involving lots of water on the floor of the bathroom. Argh!

I'm just so excited for her . . . for them! How great. If you think of it today, and throughout the coming week, please pray for safe travels and all the details that the trip will entail. Emotionally, physically, culturally . . . travelling with both grandpas add to the fun, but also add 2 more people to consider in each decision. Plus, it will be her first Mother's Day since her mom died which adds another dynamic to the week. Hopefully they'll be home safe and sound on Wednesday (the 13th), but it's possible, too, that it won't be until Thursday or Friday. We'll just wait and see! Thanks for sharing in the excitement!!

UPDATE: I just got an email. All it said was: "on the plane. love u!!!!!" so that's what I know!

And they're off . . .

The long-awaited call came in today! Praise God! My best friend {Allie}, her husband {Justin}, their 5-year old {Sam} and both grandpa's are leaving bright and early Wednesday morning for Korea to go pick up our their precious little Ava! This is the best {and most highly anticipated} news I've gotten in quite some time! They'll most likely be home with her on the 13th. I just can't wait to meet her. Mother's Day in Korea . . . becoming a mom again . . . how great will that be for her? I'm so glad that she'll be there on this special day. One that I was a little worried about . . . her first Mother's Day without her mom. Hopefully this will balance out the sadness a little with the excitement and joy of finally holding her baby girl in her arms {as well as a little justifiable fear of taking a baby that just met you on an airplane for about a bazillion hours}.

As my mom said this afternoon when I called her, "She's in labor!" How exciting!

"Is she over here? Ava, where are you? Come out, come out wherever you are!"

Anna is thrilled that her best friend will be home so soon. She's practically jumping up and down. What? You don't think she really is excited . . . oh, she is. She just doesn't know it! Hurry Home, Ava. We're waiting!