by Sharon O | Jul 27, 2013 | Uncategorized
The five minute Friday challenge is to write for five minutes with no editing.
The word today is: Broken
A long time ago there was a man who was strong, able and independent.
He was an auctioneer in rodeo settings and also a well known sheep shearer.
Nationally known in the rodeo circuits and also known as a man of all trades.
That was a long time ago.
Now he sits in a recliner chair or wheelchair.
With oxygen tanks nearby holding the air inside that keep his lungs and heart alive.
Alongside him is the pill caddie and the inhalers to help him breathe.
In the small refrigerator there is insulin which keeps his blood sugars stable.
He is limited with congestive heart failure and leaking valves.
Leukemia of the blood and diabetes cause his legs to be swollen and sore.
The lungs are tired and full of water that shouldn’t be there.
The heart inside him is tired.
HE waits for breath as he coughs and coughs and we pray as we listen.
Sitting beside him is his wife.
A long time ago she was able to drive and be social and have friends.
She was a hospital auxiliary president who did many charitable functions.
She worked full time and raised three daughters to her best ability.
That was a long time ago.
Now she sits in a recliner or wheel chair clinging to her blanket and a stuffed monkey or two.
She is unable to hold much of a conversation and she cannot feed or dress herself.
Dementia of the mind and Parkinson’s of the body has taken away who she once was.
They are now Broken.
Broken bodies with broken minds.
Broken hands and broken hearts.
The ability to do what was once done is no longer a choice.
It is sad.
Very sad to watch and remember when he was strong.
Very sad to remember when she cleaned her house impeccably always.
Along with the beautiful counted cross stitch pictures that she doesn’t remember.
Now they are old together and can’t do anything.
They sit holding hands in the foster home hoping for at least another day.
We will remember.
They were our parents.
Age 86 and 81 sitting hand in hand growing old together until that day ends for them.
by Sharon O | Jul 19, 2013 | Uncategorized
Our grand daughters are wonderful too.
Faith Elizabeth is fourteen. Heading into high school and growing way too fast for this grandma’s heart.
Following her are our surprise twins. Hannah Kay and Alexis Marie who are age nine.
Having twins is challenging enough but when they are identical it makes it way more of a challenge when trying to feed them as a baby or caring for them.
I still get confused at times if they have their back to me and I am not paying attention to what they are wearing.
I have learned to be patient with them.
I have also learned how to amuse them or challenge them and allow them to amuse and challenge me.
I have also learned that they don’t want things as much as they want time spent with us.
The beach is always a fun time of making memories.
We have spent hours and hours there together.
It is a time for us to listen to them.
To slow down.
To really hear what they are saying with their words or not.
Grand children teach us to think they way they think and to enjoy their kind of humor.
They are joyful and tiring both at the same time.
They bring us to our knees more times than we can count.
They also give us pictures for our photo albums and our hearts.
Grand children teach us so many things as long as we remain teachable.
Lord I pray we remain teachable.
by Sharon O | Jul 18, 2013 | Uncategorized
I have been trying to think of a blog writing lately.
My brain often is a bit tired and I can’t focus intensely the way I used to when this blog first began.
I was saying out loud today,
“Oh I do need to think of another blog writing and I don’t know what to share.”
One of our grand daughters suggested that I write about them.
The grand children.
Now that is a good topic and often times entertaining too.
We are grandparents to six ranging in ages two to fourteen.
The two year old is almost three, and I also do day care with my nieces little one who is almost age four.
The children keep me busy and keep me listening and on task to the day’s activities.
We have three grand sons and three grand daughters.
Our daughter had the girls and our son had the boys.
Last weekend we watched the boys.
They are Samuel age nine, Josiah age five and Seth almost three.
One of the rules at their house is no one gets out of bed till seven in the morning.
It was a wonderful ‘waiting’ time for grandma.
Of course Seth didn’t abide by that time frame.
The first morning he was awake yelling at the door at six-thirty am.
In fact the second day he was awake early too.
The difference was the first one the he woke up ‘crying’ for mommy.
The second day he woke up singing the ABC song.
I could hear him singing as I entered the room very quietly and stood there for the longest time just listening.
He laid in his bed singing the precious little song not knowing anyone was with him.
When he saw me he just said ‘hi’ and wanted out of bed.
I think God was very wise when he made grand parents.
We play a special role and we are blessed to pray for each one of these little ones.
I feel honored and challenged by the responsibility and the privilege of loving these little people.
Grandchildren are a blessing in our old age.
I pray that as we watch them and listen to them our wisdom and prayers will make a difference for many years to come for them.
by Sharon O | Jul 15, 2013 | Uncategorized
I have been trying to change the picture on my side bar as it is about five years old.
Sometimes this computer stuff is way more complicated than I can master.
SO … I will add my updated look another way.
Welcome to my blog. My name is Sharon O…
I am a mom. Grandma and follower of Jesus.
Oh and I have been married almost 40 years…too.
by Sharon O | Jul 15, 2013 | Uncategorized
In the stillness.
In the quiet.
In the going down of the sun.
We thank you Lord for your faithfulness to us.
We will never forget to give you praise.
Joining Deidra on jumping tandem and the Sunday Community.
(photo’s by Maxine and Larry of Oregon)
by Sharon O | Jul 10, 2013 | Uncategorized
After we saw the eagle we were all feeling pretty blessed and happy.
It is not every day one has the chance to see such a majestic bird flying over ones head.
We coasted along with the current and continued to enjoy the sun and the soft breeze.
It was refreshing and also upsetting because of all the fourth of July rafters who were in my opinion not taking the water seriously.
We saw parents who had little children on swift waters with no life jackets and even allowing little children
to navigate kayaks alone with no adult supervision or help.
I personally prayed for each and every one of those little ones who looked unsure or afraid.
The river is to be respected and it was very different this year.
The scenery was beautiful, quiet and peaceful.
(other than when we saw the others on the water)
I was uncomfortable with strange people with us and worked really hard to move away from them.
We used to see deer and other wild life but this year they were pretty far away from the noise on the river.
I did happen to get some pictures of a gaggle of geese along the shore line.
They were sitting on the edge of the water as if they were watching us float by.
I have always enjoyed the wildlife in their natural environment.
In the past we have seen a variety of deer on the shore and birds in the air.
Each year it is different and each year we may or may not be able to see an eagle.
As we were ending our trip and heading to the last stretch of the river.
Ryan our only kayak rider fell out of his kayak and had to navigate back into it.
He said the current was swift and his kayak had water in it.
Then another one of our team members dumped their canoe over.
That incident could have been very serious as they were both under the canoe for a short time and they could feel the current try to pull them away.
Then as we were closing in on our take out point our head leader and his wife dumped their canoe.
We have never had so many canoes go over and it seemed like a very different year for all of us.
Each one of the incidents could have been very serious from the hand ‘cut’ to the canoes overturning.
God was with us and protecting us.
Our 2013 trip was different yet it was sweet for when we couldn’t be on the river we could spend time sharing with each other doing different things.
We learned to work together and help one another and become more of a team.
It was good and it was challenging.
We look forward to next year and the many years after that until we no longer can go.
The river is a beautiful place to see God’s creation.
We are never disappointed in the experience or the view.
