Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Preparing to leave for LT











Some pictures tell some of the end of the story in the USA, more family times, and a visit at the home of JIm and Donna Dombach.

We also spoke in 2 more churches and then expected to wind down in our last week. But we soon learned that Sharon's grandmother was failing quickly. At 94 she was ready to go, but since she had pulled through so many times it was hard to really believe that the end was so real. On Tuesday, we visited and she told me of her wish to pass on while we were still in the states so I could be at the funeral. But now, it seemed she had not made her goal and she did not want me to feel pressured to return for the funeral. We would leave on Monday. But this was one of the last visits she participated in and by the next evening she was not conversing anymore. And on Thursday she was gone. Gregg and I went to say goodbye again on Thursday and perhaps she was still hearing what was happening around her.

It was very interesting for the boys to participate in the viewing and funeral. They were full of questions for the days before and after. They had gotten to know great-grandma a little enough that this death could begin to mean something but not enough to be really upset by it. They wanted to see every detail, the closing of the casket, which is not usually done locally with family watching. And then at the gravesite they wanted to see it lowered which the undertaker also offered he could do since the little ones were so curious. The boys' cousins all got to see it that way, though they would not have been so bold to put their curiousity out there for everyone to see.

So the funeral was Sunday and we flew Monday the 16th. The flights went mostly as expected with one delay while on the plane in Copenhagen. The boys had just fallen asleep though so it worked for us to catch at nap in that delay too!

And we have been settling back in which seems to take a little while. We are about to resume our usual schedule at LCC. But I did manage a quick trip out to the sea tonight and brought back a little evidence! The boys love the sand and running around at the water's edge. It was too rough tonight to really be more than ankle deep.

Monday, August 2, 2010

July










There was a lot of activity in July- Black Rock Retreat, an EMM event for missionary families, visits to professionals, and presentations to supporters and reunion visits of various kinds. We also had the boys in Bible school at a different church this year since Lititz church did not run Bible School this year, and they really enjoyed it.

In between we do impromptu science lessons, like when a bea hive had to been knocked out of the lamp by the door.


We got to play games with my grandmother who is 94, living in assisted living room now. She really does well for her age and the various health problems she keeps overcoming.
And Gregg and I did a first get away for one night to Churchtown Inn and then on to Crystal Cave.













At the end of the month we had a chance to experience Dutch Wonderland together with my sisters' family so the boys each had another child to hand around with. Great Fun. The boys then went to their place in NJ to stay for a couple of days while Gregg and I had 2 days to ourselves... first time since the boys are with us. And it went well! They were clearly glad we were back and made efforts to regain attention but it was gradual too since we were still with Carol's family another day all together and their natural play friends, their cousins were there.