I have been away, in Hawaii,enjoying myself with my 3 younger sisters as we celebrated the 50th birthday of our baby sister. We lived in Hawaii many years ago. I and 2 of my sisters attended elementary school there, took hula dance lessons there, swam in the ocean and played on the beaches. Our parents grew bananas, plumerias and hibiscus in the yard of our home on Schofield Barracks - the Army base on the island of Oahu. ( Above is a picture of myself, in red, with my 3 younger sisters.)
My sisters Karen and Joni were very clever in hiding this banner to present to our sister after our climb of Diamond Head , on her birthday. What a great hike ! When you get to the top of Diamond Head you can see the most beautiful sights of Hawaii and Honolulu. ( Baby sister is wearing orange)
Lighthouse seen below , from the trail leading to the top of Diamond Head.
Our rented condo is over there, can't you see it?
I have a certificate to prove I climbed to the top!
Diamond Head, as viewed from a boat on the ocean.
Our brother-in-law Kaare is celebrating an upcoming milestone birthday! This is all the more special and precious because this past fall he had at least 2 heart attacks and spent a fair amount of time in the hospital and in recovery. He is back at work and so thankful to be celebrating LIFE with his family.Kaare sat next to his father who recovered from a heart attack a few years ago, both of them seem to especially appreciate time with loved ones. "Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting: to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one's labors in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward."
My sister Karen, (left, holding the cake) is Kaare's wife. She arranged this bash at an Italian restaurant because she is beyond happy and thankful for her beloved husband recovering and still here with her. She is still very much in love with her husband of more than 30 years, as he is with her. "Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God."
Here is our end of the very long table full of just a few of the many family members Kaare and Karen have. We were so happy to be able to celebrate another year of being together.We never know when one of us, young or old, healthy or infirm will be called home to eternity, and it is often so easy to forget that until we almost lose someone dear." For he will not often consider the years of his life because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart." ~all quotes are from Ecclesiastes 5: 18-20~
My younger sister, well, all my sisters are younger than me, and taller- my younger sister Joni had a birthday yesterday and to celebrate it 3 of us girls got together for lunch in my home. Our youngest sister is in New York . We miss you baby sister! If you want to laugh til you cry just hang around these ladies. I kid you not, I am the "straight man" in the foursome, they are so funny. I always feel like I am several steps behind them as the jokes and pranks are speeding by, or over my head. I eventually catch on, but by then they are several funnies ahead. At this rate though, if we have the privilege of spending many more birthdays together we will have to wear some Depends because of all the laughing.
Here is Joni holding up her new birthday girl goblet ( I get mine on my next birthday) and my kitten Ralphie. Joni is a cat lover and wants a cat very badly. She loves her husband way too much to inflict a cat on him, so to make him happy because she loves him Joni will enjoy my cat when she is here. So, happy, happy birthday sister, I love you!"Family faces are magic mirrors looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present, and future." Gail Buckley
It's my sister's birthday and she, sister Joni and I all got together here for lunch and a good time!We had chicken roasted with herbs, onions, carrots, and red potatoes from our garden, coleslaw, broccoli.., and lately served biscuits. My sisters did not know I could leap off my seat at the table so fast ! We were almost done with lunch and Joni said, "didn't you have biscuits in the oven?" Oh my, I did, and they were STILL in the oven baking away. I rescued them and they weren't burnt...that's as much as I have to say about them. Silly me. ( above: Karen is holding a special birthday goblet given to her from Sister Joni. )
We posed together for pictures, and our thoughts were for our 4th and baby sister who lives in New York and was unable to be with us. Joni on the left, Karen on the right.
I am the oldest sister~shortest, AND oldest.
My sister Karen brought me a gift for HER birthday lunch. She made me this quilt and it is perfect in our bedroom, what is even better about the quilt is that she made it out of fabrics that have special memories attached.
Here is the backing laid over the front. I love everything about this quilt, most special of all that she made it for me and made it with colors and fabric she knows I love.
We had a birthday toast "to sisters!" and included a glass of champagne for our sister Tricia.
Look at how tiny you were and how young we were, more than 3 decades ago on your first birthday.
You and your brothers grew up so quickly and brought ( and still do ) so much love and joy into our lives.
You married the man of your dreams, and gave us another beloved son..
...and the two of you have been blessed with children of your own, grandchildren for us!
Seems just a short time ago YOU were the baby! Happy Birthday Daughter, we love you more than words can ever express.
"Little girls are the nicest things that happen to people.
They are born with a little bit of
angelshine about them,
and though it wears thin sometimes~
there is always enough left
to lasso your heart....." Alan Beck
Happy 4th birthday youngest granddaughter~ we love you!
This is our #2 Granddaughter, also known as KN. She is 8 years old now and we got to spend her birthday evening with her , eating the dinner of her choice and enjoying the birthday cake she chose. She is a lot of fun and of course, as her grandparents, we're just crazy about her, and all our other grandchildren too. One of my special times with KN came when she was 3 years old, and this is the occasion when I learned so much about her character and gifts, and it was one of my many very precious and memorable times with her....
KN was 3, yes three years old and showing great interest in flowers and gardening. She and I decided to make a Fairy Garden together. Early in the spring I took her shopping at the local nursery for HER choice of flowers. Believe me, KN has strong opinions ( I found out then) about what she likes and we chose only what SHE wanted to plant. After all, this was to be her Fairy Garden! Here ( above ) she poses for me holding one of her choices.
When we got home she immediately got to work decorating her planter with stickers I had bought for her. She filled the big pink plastic tub with soil and then we laid out the design. Really though, it was truly ALL her design for she did not care for the way I laid things out. I have to say, this little one at 3 had a better grasp of design than I. Her plant and garden arrangement beat mine all to pieces, and I just watched as she removed and rearranged my intended lay-out. ( Well, it was her garden after all) Above, KN waters her Fairy Garden.
This is a picture of KN touching up the Fairy Garden to enter it in a community fair. What I learned about her when she was 3 years old is that she is very self-confidant, thinks outside the box when it comes to creativity, is a lot of fun...and that I won't go wrong if I seek her advice for creative design in almost anything!She is now a few years older and that is still my impression of her..and she also loves me and her Poppa to pieces! KN and I can spend hours together quietly, while each of us works on our own project. All I will do is lay out paints, paper, fibers, glue. glitter, beads, etc., and she gets busy crafting whatever her imagination conceives, while I am free to work along-side her on my own projects. This is a special and FUN time.
Happy Birthday precious Granddaughter!
"There are fairies at the bottom of our garden. It's not so very, very far away.
You pass the gardener's shed and you just keep straight ahead, I do so hope they've really come to stay.
There's a little wood with moss in it and beetles,and a little stream that quietly runs through.
You wouldn't think they'd dare come merry-making there~Well they do. (Rose Fyleman)
These are my coming home pictures as a newborn. I was premature, and came home 22 days after I was born. Here my mother and father cradle me. All 6 pounds of me, in their arms. I wish my mother and father were alive so I could hug them, say " I love you" and let them know I understand how hardship and tragedy can change a person. I would love to let them know , as a daughter, how much I appreciate the sacrifices they made for me and my sisters, and how we now understand decisions that were made for us with the best and most loving intentions. I wish we had even an inkling of the future to have been able to hold firm our parents and stay the coming chaos with the love and certainty that "this too will pass". I love my Mother and Father and thank God for having chosen them to be my parents. I wish I could go back into the past to when they were alive, and at the same time been aware of the future , so I could have at least said the most important things to them....but I cannot.
My Father and myself ( at 2 years of age)
My sisters ( Joni , above ) and Karen ( below) treated me to lunch at the local Ram restaurant on the Pt. Defiance waterfront. We had a delicious lunch , made even better by the fun time we had being together. Thank-you Karen and Joni. Our baby sister Tricia lives far away on the East Coast...and she sent me a lovely gift and her well-wishes. Thank-you sisters, very much. I love you. (my sisters are holding up little rocks that say "sisters' )
So on my birthday I reflect on how blessed I am. I have a husband who loves me very much, 3 grown children , 2 with spouses who are like my own children....8 grandchildren, sisters I love very much and am still able to connect with , and enjoy. Friends who bless my life beyond measure. Abundant food, a wonderful home, and Jesus. Everything else is just frosting on the birthday cake! Happy birthday to my Mother and Father, and I love the rest of you, dearly.
One year ago today Little J. was born! I snapped this picture of him grasping his father's hand within the hour of his birth.....I love this picture!
Look at you now!
I remember many things about being there to see you come out into this world. The whole family was joyous.....but your big sister KN could not get enough of you! She hovered over you constantly. Just look at her face. We all love you so much and you are one of the happiest and best- natured little boys I know. We love you Little J.
Happy Birthday Little J, youngest grandchild !
"On the day that you were born , the angels got together
and decided to create a dream come true.
~So they sprinkled moon dust in your hair~
With gold and starlight in your eyes of blue.."
Happy birthday Jim!
Lyrics from Karen Carpenters' CLOSE TO YOU
~Oldest son with his four daughters in front of new home.~
~David, our oldest son ( left )~
