BOOKS I FINISHED - JANUARY 2022

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse, written and illustrated by Charlie Mackesy

A short book filled with reminders of how important friendship is, the value of strong character, and the choice to keep a positive perspective on life.

p. 10, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"Kind" said the boy.

p. 17,  "What do you think is the biggest waste of time?"

"Comparing yourself to others," said the mole.

p. 60, "What is the bravest thing you've ever said?" asked the boy. 

"Help," said the horse.

p. 90, "Is your glass half empty or half full?" asked the mole.

"I think I'm grateful to have a glass," said the boy.

p. 111, "Do you have any other advice?" asked the boy.

"Don't measure how valuable you are by the way you are treated," said the horse.

The French Gift, written by Kirsty Manning

Set in two time periods that intertwine, this is a story of love and loss, family and friendship, murder and mystery. Two women end up in the same prison cell, later share a bed in a WWII work camp, and develop a deep friendship that will be life-changing. In modern day, a widowed mom and her son spend time at the home they inherited from the deceased husband's great aunt as they try to answer some questions about her past.

Sold on a Monday, written by Kristina McMorris

Inspired by a real photo, this novel is about two children sold during the Great Depression. It's a story of selfish gain and selfless risk, taking responsibility for poor choices and dealing with emotional scars, and never giving up on the relationships and character qualities that matter most.

Winning Words: Quotations to Uplift, Inspire, Motivate and Delight, compiled by Allen Klein

A trio of Klein's collections all in one place, this book has over 400 pages of quotes for anything you might possibly want one for. 

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THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for almond extract. What's one thing you're thankful for?

BEACH DAY

I realized yesterday that the weather was going to be beautiful today and that we had nothing on the calendar until evening, so I told the little Ws I was going to do something fun with them. My original idea fell through, but another plan worked out. Then Tim unexpectedly had the day off and got to join us. 

We loaded into the van first thing this morning, told the kids we were going to visit two Oregon coast icons that we'd never been to before, then hit the road. About two hours later we stopped at Pig 'N Pancake for pre-icon food, as five cases of being hangry would have put a serious damper on our fun.

Our next stop was the first icon of the day, The Astoria Column. We bought some gliders in the gift shop, climbed 164 steps to the observation deck, enjoyed amazing views in every direction, and launched our gliders. So cool!

There were several empty cargo ships out in the water.

The building in the top right is the gift shop and this is the direction we launched our gliders.

The peak below the sun is Saddle Mountain, which Tim's hiked once, Silas and Devon have hiked multiple times, and I've hiked once. Just beautiful! 

The only sound in this little clip is the wind, but I walked around the whole deck to show the view. 

Tim's the one who suggested we go there and we're all really glad he did. It's a neat stop. If you're afraid of heights, go anyway because the view from the ground is also incredible. 

Our second Oregon coast icon of the day was the Seaside Carousel. We started to take a group picture before getting on our animals, but the operator told us to move over to the bench, remove our masks for the pose, and he'd take our picture for us. Awesome. 

We did a little browsing and shopping, then walked down to the beach. I think it's cool they have a swing set there! (They also had three volleyball courts, which is also neat, but I don't personally care about playing volleyball.) We spent a couple hours walking, digging, climbing, swinging, throwing, splashing, and collecting.

We made a quick stop at Seaside Candyman so all the Ws except myself could use some of their personal spending budgets on treats to eat later. (I'm not exactly responsible in the sugar department, but I'm more tempted by other treats.) It's quite a sight to see 172 flavors of salt water taffy and 68 Jelly Belly flavors all in one place!

Tim and I had promised to treat everyone to ice cream before the day was done, so we crossed the street to Sea Star Gelato and loaded up on frozen goodness. Only four of us made it into the picture, but all five of us enjoyed our gelato.

To be in a season of life where spending money on gas for a day trip, a restaurant meal, a carousel ride, and dessert for everyone is something we had the freedom to do is such a huge blessing, one I don't take for granted at all. To have everything work out for our whole household to go in the middle of the week was icing on the cake. 

All three kids thanked me separately for the day and said they had fun, which meant a lot to me. I'm not very good at spontaneous outings, especially when it takes a whole day, so I'm thankful that everyone had a good time and that they expressed unsolicited gratitude. 

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful that I know how to read. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for the technology that provides so many ways to keep in contact with friends and family. What's one thing that you're thankful for?

THIRTY YEARS

Thirty years ago today, about five weeks shy of her thirty-ninth birthday, Mom took her last breath. I'm fine emotionally on this milestone day, but it just boggles my mind that it's been three whole decades. That's crazy.

This picture is one I found at some point after she died, just a random shot she'd taken of some sunflowers on the roadside when she was nineteen. I don't have any idea where it was taken, but it makes me smile. I've used it as a bookmark in my Bible for many years.

About ten years ago, out of the kindness of their hearts, some men from church took a cassette tape recording I had of her memorial service and converted it to more modern formats for me. Then Dad surprised me by taking the audio and adding a slide show to it, a video which he then loaded to YouTube. Tonight, as I work on a puzzle and hang out with the Ws who are home, I'm going to play that video.

If you knew Mom and would like to listen as it plays in the background while you go about your business or want to sit down and watch the slideshow as you remember her, or even if you didn't know her and just want a little glimpse of who she was, here's a link to the video.

In order of appearance, here are the talents and voices you'll hear.

* Nancy Myer - friend & pianist
* Michelle Ostendorf - friend & pianist
* David Shankle - our pastor at the time
* Harold Keech - song leader from our church
* Rick Stevens - a radio DJ we'd gotten to know & whose staff prayed for us regularly, singing "Welcome Home"
* Kathy Ward -friend & co-worker
* Judy Zelmer Smith -friend & boss
* Sandi Heitz - friend
* John Dean - college friend who, along with his wife, were friends with my parents
* Shirley Rettke - friend
* Faye Jurisich - college friend
* Dona (Shankle at the time) Hamilton - friend who had been in the Sunday School class my mom taught, singing "Home Free"

THANKFUL THURSDAY

I'm thankful for people I can trust and who trust me. What's something you're thankful for?