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| Of course, this is our Easter photo!!!! Go figure! |
Hello everyone. I would like to say happy spring, but I can't. It's snowing outside!!! Yes. It's April 4th and it's snowing. I shouldn't complain. We had a very, very, very mild winter, thank the Lord. But enough already. Everything is brown. Yet... there is hope. Our peach tree is loaded with buds. Hopefully we will get some peaches this year. But Tom didn't trim it, so... not really holding my breath for any fruit. We'll see what God has for us there.
Lots of things are happening here. We are moving along steadily, slowly, in the building process. Tom is enjoying the job as a bus driver. Except on days when children come onto his bus infested with the plague. Yes, we have been soooo sick this winter. Just passing this nasty cold around to each other. Talk about fun! Hopefully that is done with.
We made our driveway bigger to accommodate his bus. Works great. Except we didn't think about mud season (a real season here in VT). What a mess!!! Tom got the bus stuck momentarily. It was a good thing the temperatures still dip low at night, so he was able to drive the thing out. It's a biiiiiiig bus. Seats 70 people! I'm so proud of him. Being a bus driver is not everyone's cup of tea. Especially when you are as driven to succeed as Tom is. But he humbly does his job, tries to make a difference in the lives of the kids he transports.
Logan is still plugging away with school. He's still my first reader and gets me sidetracked really easily. "Will you read to me?" Baby eyes stare at me! "No you have ma-. Of course honey. Sit down. We are at a really exciting part. So..." No, actually we are doing okay school wise. He loves when I read to him and is becoming quite the writer himself. So all is not in vain! I know it's not anyway. He enjoys the history we do and likes archaeology. We got a chance to travel down to NY to babysit Sydney. Oh wow. The two of them had a blast!
Natasha is still my wonderful cover designer. She's so good at it! We have a new book coming out and spent a very snowy day in CT taking pictures of my niece Jacquelyn. It was so much fun, even though the drive was slightly scary. Lots of snow!!! She's still working at the Sub-Way and does like it. She now makes the pizzas, which come out very pretty. Who said an artist needs a canvas? Earlier on we were supposed to go to NY so she could shadow someone with Eiki's creative department. Except she got the plague! So we are hoping to set it up again soon.
You will notice that there is a stranger in our Easter picture. She's not a stranger. She's Sean's beautiful girlfriend, Gabrielle, who came to visit us for a few days. They met at a mission conference in St. Luis right after Christmas. And hence the reason for this blog! Life is about changes. We are about to have a lot of changes coming for us. Gabrielle lives in California. Sean is moving! To California!
Talk about shocker! This was not in the well-laid plans I constructed for him when he was a mere blob in the crib! None of the plans included him moving clear across the country. No! So far, I have been so happy for him, that I haven't really thought about it. Sean's girlfriend is wonderful. She's everything I have been praying for for my oldest son. And more. We were so blessed to get to know her a little. She's a ray of sunshine. I totally understand and support his decision. But... My plans included him moving perhaps to the next town, me spending time with my grandchildren. Ha! Not!
As I said. I totally support his decision. Except now it's finally sinking in. I was driving into town this morning and coming the other way was Sean in his mobile office (hehe). For the second time since he informed us of his decision, it hit me. I won't be going into town and seeing his truck parked at Tasha's work or at the library. Running into him on the road as he drives to his clients is not going to happen. That's tough! Sean is my oldest, and letting him go is going to be rough, even though I am thrilled to death for him.
I sympathize with my parents. When I left, they let me go. They were probably not too happy, but the allowed me the freedom to chose. I really appreciate that. I reflected about this whole thing and came up with this brilliant synapse. Here we go!! Germany was choking the life out of me, Dubai gave me life. Austria showed me that I could be successful, England gave me my future (I met Tom in England). The US became my home.
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| I got jam! From Gabby :) |
This morning, after talking to Sean yesterday (he's going to be upset I am writing about this but, oh well), I got really worried about the changes he's about to make. Not about the relationship between him and Gabby. They are a beautiful couple. I got all worried about him having to start his business over again. In a different state without me. Without Mommy being there to support him and to have a pity party with him, when things are not going well. Last night, after Tom prayed for both Gabby and Sean before we went to bed, I decided to just up the anty. I needed something more from God. A little reminder that He'll take care of things. So I had an errand to run in town this morning. We don't get the local Christian radio station really well where we live. It comes in all staticky. When I got into the car, I thought to try it. The station came in loud and clear. And I heard just what I needed! The speaker talked about worrying about her children. And she talked about how she worried that they wouldn't leave (hehe) then worried that they couldn't handle themselves out there. I needed to hear it. As soon as I heard what I needed, static took over again. So... I'm not going to stop worrying about my children. I still worry that Tasha is unhappy, or that she's lonely. Or that Logan plays too many video games. I'm going to place that in the hands of God. I will let God worry about them. He knows their future anyway (which is such a good thing. I would mess it up!). I wish him all of God's blessings, and know that God will bless and guide his business and his life.
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| Double kill!!!! |
Does that mean he's just going to skate through life? Oh, how I wish that for him, but it ain't gonna happen. He's going to have to face difficulties, challenges. But he's not doing it alone. First of all, he'll have Gabby by his side. And more important, he'll have God guiding his steps. That gives me so much hope and peace. I know we will miss him (no more playing Halo and hearing the boys cheer when they have had a double kill or slayer!). It's all part of life! And I'm very excited for Sean.
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I had ankle issues. Perreault boys
to the rescue! |
We spent time with the Perreault family in Quebec over Christmas. It was beautiful! Lots of good times!!! It was just wonderful to hang out again. I have missed the family.
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| Tante Anne and Sydney! |
So... now the house. Doing well. Still no permanent power. But we have the generator. Still no running water. But it's in the works (yeah... what can I say). And I have a desk that points out the window, where I can write. Logan is supposed to do school at it, but he doesn't. I have claimed it!!!! Working on putting a second book out there this spring. This one is more of an adult novel, since the subject is just a little more serious. Natasha is working on the cover which will feature the beautiful Jacquelyn Perreault and the gorgeous Koda (my friend Julie's Percheron). I can't wait to get it out. Meanwhile, Skating for Grace is available at our library!!! How cool is that! It is getting some very encouraging reviews from those who read it. I'm very excited about that. The second one in that series should be out... by summer at the latest. I'm very excited that people are actually reading it!
I want to wish you a wonderful spring! And I want you to remember that there is no need to worry, fear, doubt. God knows. He always works things out for those who love Him and who are called according to His purpose.
God bless.
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| Breakfast with my jam. And tea from DD |
I have some bad news. Yes, this will be (probably) my last blog on this site. I can't keep up with everything :) . Unfortunately. So, a quick overlook on the house. We have now lived here in beautiful Vermont for 4 years (and yes, we moved right after the Summer Olympics in London). We are still camping (shall we call it glamping?). The house is not finished! We are working on it. There is something that happened called... life! Sigh! Tom works and I... write. Logan has school and Tasha... well, she's so busy we hardly see her. Unfortunately, we lost our motivator (Sean), when he defected to California. All for a girl! (Come on, really?!?!?!?!) So, we really love that girl too, but that's beside the point! But I joke. He's happy out there in the land of... no snow. We miss him terribly, but that's life.
We have power (generator) and I am happy to say... I used my oven. A few times!!! IT WORKS like a charm!!!! And... we bought a fridge. Ohhh, I can't tell you how wonderful it is not to have to go into town to shop every stinkin' day. But... my habit of shopping every day has to change. Other than that... we are pretty happy. Really, life has been great for us. Tom's company is really appreciating the work he does and he's often very, very busy. He now does weddings and special events on the weekends (hence, house still not finished). And there is winter! We are learning that Vermonters prepare for winter and snow all year long. We hope that we have enough wood to make it through this year. We should. Right now we have about 9 chord stacked in our shed and another three waiting to be split. 
Tom, my hero, my hubby, my bff is doing great. As I said, he still driving buses and his bosses really like him. What's not to like? Right? When he has a moment he does spend it working on the house. Logan helps him whenever he has to (oops!!!) and the two of them spend a lot of time what guys usually do. Playing computer games. Ya know. We moved out into the sticks so we wouldn't have to. But oh well.
So, as you can see. We are busy. Logan (whom I've not mentioned much) still misses his brother. But he's getting more involved with the youth groups. And that's a good thing. We play a game called pickle once or twice a week in town. It's kind of like tennis and volleyball and whiffle ball. We enjoy it a lot. He's still homeschooling. It's still the best route for him. And he's still my first reader of all the stories I write. And he sure knows how to push my buttons. "But Mom. We are at such an exciting part!" Yeah, works like a charm! I think I need to grow some thicker skin. He does love to write too, and he's pretty good at it. He's got an incredible vocabulary. I really hope that he'll use it. For now, he has to finish his story too. I'm sure we will publish it some time.
