Milestones...

 

 

There is a "YOUNG" man that I know...I don't use the word YOUNG loosely!   It is always where you are in whether you think you are still young or not...but actually it is just a number!

 

Anyway I have known him for...well getting to be a long time...he was a Ram Handler at CSU with Lance and then they became roommates...

 

I have seen him as a college student...then married...and now getting pretty close a daddy!   What a way to celebrate your...well like I said it is just a number...YOU REALLY AREN'T THAT OLD PATRICK!  

 

Thinking of you in this next month...this next year...as I know  you will be a great dad!!

 

So I caught a picture of you and your beautiful baby mama...and decide to change the color and give a "touch of gray"...

 

Happy Birthday Patrick!







 



We love you and thank you for being the special guy you are!

God Bless!!!

lyp

Another year has passed...

Sometimes I wonder where the time goes...how it goes so quickly...in blinks of an eye things are suddenly never the same again.  I sit here perhaps somewhat emotional...a little sentimental...just thinking...I will not say where I have been this morning on the grounds it might incriminate me...

I spent the weekend at my daughter's.   Friday night the little Firecracker and I journeyed to Denver with Izzy's mama to partake in some Olive Garden with Uncle Lance...to which the waiter was quite attentive to one little Peanut!   A complimentary bowl of her favorite soup...a large bowl of black olives...and even when she spilled the tea...that was raspberry tea and she was the only one who liked it...BUT it was quite refreshing to observe customer service.

Upon finishing dinner (This would be the evening meal and I know there is a large debate as to which meal is dinner...but given the company I was in...it is called dinner...if the shepherd were there...everyone knows dinner is held at noontime!)   Okay I wander...anyway...Izzy and I were going to stop off in Bennett and pick up some flowers to take to the cemetery...However, she fell asleep before we hit the interstate and then I wasn't sure if Heather's truck would shut off on me or what.  You see I think I irked GyPSy...(that would be her GPS).  The crazy woman will not shut up and she gets something in her head and there is no changing!   STOP IT NOT ONE WORD!!!   I know what some are thinking!!   Anyway it turns out that she thought we were still going to Olive Garden and since I am unfamiliar to such things and was more concerned with traffic I just let her rant EVERY turn off.  Saying make a legal U-Turn...and as we got on the Interstate she continued on...Izzy had commented earlier prior to being asleep in 5 minutes...Ahma she won't stop talking!   This visual here really does sort of nag me...and now I wonder if some might refer to me as GyPSy!

One can get a bit of a nap from Denver to Bennett...especially at 9:00 p.m. or so...So I went ahead and when we get there wake up one little Firecracker...never certain when waking up a napping three year old...exactly which child will be awakened...Turns out she was a little bit out of it trying to get her bearings but just picked up talking as though not really asleep.   We pushed a cart in the store only to get there and there it was...a shopping cart with a big blue car with not one steering wheel but two...after cleaning out the cookie and it looked like some other things that perhaps the last driver had not let the one pushing know they had loaded up on these items...I wonder if silly putty might be at steering wheel level..and after beginning our travels realize that one could miss some things going on in this car if not paying attention...AS I ALWAYS DO!   We looked to see what flowers but none seemed to be just the right ones...and so we went to the aisle that has the cool stuff...you know all the outdoor items...at which point I hear a little voice coming out of the little blue car..."Ahma...I need to go to the bathroom."    So we kicked it into gear and off we went to which my heart smiles when she says, "I love shopping this way."   This is the most excellent time to go shopping as you pretty much have the store to yourself.   I love the Bennett King Soopers...

Upon finishing our "duties" I ask Izzy if she had seen anything she liked and she said that Santa Claus...and I said was there Santa stuff...to which we return to our destination and there was all kinds of little gnomes.  Is that how you spell gnome?   Anyway I said well do you see anything else...even though her dad would have been happy with whatever his Peanut might have found.   Then we saw some little blue butterflies and Izzy says I like the butterflies and so she pulls one out and then a Hello Kitty.  I say do you want those for daddy's grave and she says no these for me.   So I say would you like a blue butterfly for daddy too...and then we see them pinwheels...of sorts...but these are copper and first we see the butterflies and then there are the dragonflies...There are some familiar with my dragonfly stories...and still if I see a dragonfly...I am stopped there and I think of my son-in-law.   Granted I do not think Jay has turned into a dragonfly...but I think of some of these little "signs" if you will as kisses from heaven...reminders of those that have passed on to a better place.  We also find a little glow in the dark snow globe...and yes it does glow...we tried it out when we got home...sitting in a room in the dark when we got home.

We also found a balloon that said I (Heart) U....to which Izzy proudly carried to checkout.  When we got there after we unloaded out of our car...an adventure in itself and the checker telling us to just leave it parked she would take care of it...sometimes Izzy and I's adventures remind me of mine and my Grandma Bessie's...anyway when the woman goes to check it out says what a nice balloon.  To which Izzy in her grown up voice says, "Yeah...we taking it to the cemetery".   The woman not really sure if she hears right looks to me and I say we are taking it to the cemetery.   To which she tells Izzy that is nice and begins talking of the weather...as though afraid to speak more on it.   And I think well I didn't start bawling...but think how many times...when we do not know what to say...we quickly turn to weather talk...

Which takes me back to Limon and Izzy and I getting in before our midnight curfew...hanging out...playing...reading stories until she fell asleep in my arms...for those who have not experienced holding a sleeping child in your arms...I recommend putting it on your bucket list!   With warning of a severe storm and being in Limon...I stayed awake...waiting for my kids to get home...oh I know they are not 16 anymore...one would have to add some double digits to that...but once a mom...always a mom.   But I did just listen to one little Isabel...sleep and breathe...

Lance headed on south after getting there...because we all know the shepherd starts early around here...maybe not at 4:00 a.m. but he did have sheep stuff to tend to.  He was then planning on returning with his dad for the memorial for Jay to begin at 5:30 Saturday evening.  With a moment of silence at 6:18...Jay's "End of Watch" is March 9, 2011 at 6:18 p.m.   Why does that time stick with us...his birthday...June 18th to which he would be the big 3-0 this year...

On Saturday, us girls were a little slower getting around and so when deciding what to do for lunch because we had missed the noon hour...upon talking with Aunt Autumn...one little Izzy Bell says that she would like McDonald's...a new and different choice for her.   But Uncle Andoo and Aunt Aum agree to meet us there...well weather never seems as much from the comfort of your easy chair...but we head out and decide perhaps we should pick up Heather's flowers first and then we would meet up with the others.   We enjoyed the fare of the Limon McDonald's and listened to others talking about where the motels were...of the Interstate being closed and granted it was a walk getting in with the wind...but upon our return home...we almost had a pileup getting to the vehicles..visibility walking to the truck was zero...Andy would never be the same if I had "sideswiped" him...or if I had actually shut Aunt Autumn with the truck door...it was jungle out there...and we hadn't even started the vehicles.  

Autumn and Andy were game to come hang out and we were going to blow up  balloons to release at the memorial.   Well many know if you have balloons around a three year old...ALMOST thirty year olds...whatever age...they are just fun and so with finding eyes and noses and ears and other things to put on them...Izzy started decorating some of the balloons...I do have to probably give the best to Andy...Izzy did mine and I had extra eyes and ears  in extra places...but I am an AHMA!!!  

Ahma balloon...

Hanging out at Izzy's with Uncle Andy and Aunt Autumn....those who know Jay will understand Andy's pose...
oh I need to be quicker to the shot...
 

And with the passing of time...also came the decision that the memorial would not be held.  However, Izzy had already told us at McDonald's (after I am sure her and her mom about blew away) that she did not want to go to the cemetery.    Where her and I had went the day before to take down the Christmas tree.  Yes Jay I did get it down before Easter (which makes me think on my winter village and conversations that he and I had).  When I had came earlier I took the Christmas items off of it and just left other "stuff".   To which when Izzy and I went we were deciding what we needed to reuse.   There is a little white stone bird that she had told me that we needed to take so that it would not be covered with snow!   I did not tell her it had been there for over a year...but we took him with us...

Are you keeping up?  One can get a bit dizzy and I am trying to make things clearer for one that is not just right here in my head...which you might consider a scary place.   So we got word that Oppy and LaLa were en route as down our way snow (Praise the Lord) but not too bad...but the drive may have took a little bit longer...so in waiting upon them...Uncle Andrew was wanting to play some games...which I think is awesome that he is a game player like Maryann (Jay's mom) so that could...ANDREW... COULD make a guy some brownie points.   Only Grammy and Grandad were not with us...they were snowed in Simla...well maybe as there was rumor of shorts and blue skies and the like...but since highway 24 was closed...

So it was decided that Izzy could release her balloon from home...one really doesn't have to go to a grave to honor one that has left us...and so there were many balloons that she could not release and then there was Grammy and Grandads balloons and one could not let them go.   But then the next thing I knew her and her mom were working on a blue balloon for daddy...and so balloon number one was ready for release...you catch a glimpse of the beautiful flowers that would have been to my house if tried to set them out...And Izzy and her mama's balloon...with one of my favorite pics of Jay...just thinking of him and sharing his smile...One little Isabel seems less than pleased as I was holding up the process snapping these pictures...plus a nap might have been a beneficial thing...but you know "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

As Heather, Izzy, Andy, Autumn and I all headed for the back door to let her balloon go...upon opening the door and the large balloon greeting the cold wind...the balloon popped...so back to the drawing board and so this is the balloon actually released...but one little one was hiding...

I went out to catch the girls coming out as one doesn't want to venture too far when a blizzard lurks as one might be blown away (okay hush...I was talking of Izzy)...As the March winds hurled...it caught hold of one little blue balloon and off it went...and at first I wondered if the wind would carry it or not but then up it headed...high in the sky and I include a collage of the girls ready to release...the little blue balloon floating up and just thinking of the one we were thinking of....so many things can be represented...letting go...just sending up thoughts and prayers...saying I love you and miss you...

And with this fun...Izzy and her Aunt Aum released their own pink balloon...

And then Lance and Oppy arrived and we began to play Nertz...one of my favorite pictures is one in which I took off the balcony of a group playing Nertz and Jay stopping and waving at me...Then Jake and Amy arrived...and while Jake learned some on Nertz...Amy played Hungry Hippos with Izzy...she will be such a good mama!  (You will be a great dad too Jake).

We then head to Southside for dinner and to meet up with some of the ones that were able to make it out...This would probably have been one of Jay's favorite parts of the day...we arrived and there was Russell and Teddy...then came Gordon and Jess...and the Chief and Lesa made it...with people stranded in town...there is certain logistics that the police deal with...I was having some technical difficulties with my camera but did catch one of Heather talking on Lynn's phone...

Jake, Teddy, and Andy at the bar...salad bar
Lance and Izzy as Heather talks on the phone 

And I think what special people these all are...I listen to the guys talking of going to the cemetery...I appreciate each and every one of them...honoring their "brother" in their own ways...

And then...the live band starts up...and one little Isabel needs to go closer and listen to them.   She then decides her and her mom should dance...I watch and so she decides her and I should dance...so she grabbed my hands for Brown-eyed girl...of course I had to change the words for blue...she caught a dance with Uncle Lance and then Aunt Autumn..

As I watched her and her mom dance I feel the emotion...I see the Chief watching on...as I know he does...and though this memorial for Jay Bird was not as we had thought...how some couldn't make it because of the weather...or other reasons...as I told them when we let the balloons go...that you don't have to be at the graveside...we can think of those we lost...wherever we might be...even in the middle of a blizzard...and not just on certain days...

And so I have wrote on this off and on all day...looking at pictures...and having my own memorial perhaps...

The time change has kicked in and I think of how it seemed like Jay would often be on duty when the time changed...and I have put down a lot of my memories that I want to hold on to.   I wonder if I should share...if I am "GyPSy" talking too much...but it seems important to share these thoughts...Jay was and is an important part of our lives...I had a cousin talk of how her mother kept her father's memory alive with them...and now many years later she is thankful for that...sometimes it is hard to talk of those we love...but sometimes there is more than just weather...

lyp

Honorary Life...

I lay here and tap tap tap in the darkness as I listen to the heavy breathing of one little Isabel Sheridan...who has finally decided to give up and go to sleep...we have had such a fun night on this Firecracker Flex Friday to which I started a little later because of helping the Shepherd and going to lunch with Memaw...and also getting to see the new Bunkhouse...a new up and coming coffee and baked goods...Trudy it is going to be awesome!!!

Anyway--upon pulling up to her house...one little Isabel comes out the door still in her pj's...chattering away.   After here awhile, I asked her if she had a fun day...now I am trying to remember exactly what she said...but it was on the line of not without you Ahma!   I laughed and told her that is something her dad would say...that he might not have been serious when telling you...but like the Chief said (when he stopped by when Izzy and I were unloading the pickup)..."but it made you feel good."

I think how this one little girl can bring about so much joy...even on this sad anniversary date of losing her daddy.  Two years ago...and I had thought the other day...half of Izzy's life...and I think how that percentage will continue to change...But she seems to give us so many reminders of her daddy...but the reminder that we all loved and missed...the FUN!   I put in a collage of pics of Limon 4, Jay Bird, my favorite son-in-law, Heather's husband, Peanut's daddy...and realize that though Izzy's daddy is not here physically...she has a comfort that some may never know...in knowing that her daddy loved her so...

And the last couple weeks...I have a book titled, "Everyday Peace" by Patricia Mitchell.  Whenever I come across the word Peace in my readings I go to read one of the little excerpts.    However, I have been stuck on one part...on a page on grief... and I am reminded of what I have read several times out this same page...

 

"You have changed my sadness into a joyful dance;

you have taken away my sorrow and surrounded me with joy.  Psalm 30:11

And so with that...I carry on to explain...Recently Jay Sheridan was honored as an Alumni from NJC in Sterling, Colorado.   I had started writing on this but hadn't got far...I wrote..

Yesterday I got the honor, privilege, and yes joy of being able to attend a ceremony honoring my favorite son-in-law, Jay Sheridan, with Heather and Isabel Sheridan, Andy and Autumn Lorenson, Tim and Maryann Sheridan, Shane Sheridan and his friend Lindsey as an "Honorary Life Member Award" from Northeastern Junior College.  

Honorary Life...and that is where I come to the joy...I think of one little Isabel...such a part of her daddy that seems to as I read the other day just OOZE JOY!   And I watched throughout the day and days later how she seems to brighten up those around her...

And though I have pictures that I want to include...pictures of many smiling just being near this little one...I finish my thought on the whole dancing thing...it is now 3 a.m. and my kids should be pulling in from a night of dancing...but no that is not the part that the above made me think of...

While we were at the basketball game at NJC...one little one was taking in the whole experience of a college basketball game.  And one of her highlights was when they would play the music during the timeouts...to which she had a new dance routine and new moves considering what the song was...and so she had these college girls sitting behind her that were just laughing as was her mom and I and others that watched.   And at half time...she went down with her mom and Aunt Autumn and Uncle Andrew and accepted an award for her dad as an honorary alumni...hanging out with Alumni member Andrea Andersen, "Jack" an alumni and celebrity it seems at NJC, and the president of the college...as most in the gymnasium rose to their feet...one Honorary Life...

And so like I said I have probably a whole other blog that includes pics of this day...but now I think of the day ahead...There will be a Memorial at the Limon cemetery at 5:30 p.m. (depending on what the weather might decide to do).  However,  I see some starting to pay tribute but I think of you Jay and how we miss you but in order to honor one Honorary Life...I hope for a day of JOY...that we hold on to that precious gift you gave us...and of course one little light that is a part of your love that continues to shine on...who is sleeping away still in her blue M & M t-shirt and shorts and I am thankful for the joy that she shares in our lives...and I share not only the verse but also the writing...that we do have the comfort that one day we will again see you Jay Sheridan!  

"You have changed my sadness into a joyful dance;

you have taken away my sorrow and surrounded me with joy. Psalm 30:11

"God allowed Himself to experience the pain of bereavement when His Son, Jesus, suffered and died for us. In Jesus' resurrection, however, God showed us that death is not the end, but the beginning of our new lives with Him in heaven. Yes, God understands our most profound grief, and He want us to find peace in believing this great truth: The power of death lasts only awhile. Life in Him continues forever." Patricia Mitchell Everyday Peace

And I see where a cousin who lost her husband shares the following...and it seems to hit so true...I am not sure who created it...but love what it says...

lyp

Happy Birthday B-Bop

Today is the birthday of one of my favoritest peoples...MY NIECE BETHANY!   Since a little one she has always been my girl...given me the complimentary laugh when everyone else seemed to say what?   I wish I could have put up the slide show I did for her wedding...but can't figure out how to get the whole thing on here...But there are some favorites so I put them on and say Happy Birthday and God bless you on this special day!   

I hope you got to talk to your sweetie...I'll bet he loves me calling him that!!!   Anyway Happy Birthday Bethany I love you and miss you!!   So I add one of my favorite songs for one of my favorite people...may your little light continue to shine!!!  

So very thankful that you are my nieces...
because after all I love you to pieces!!!

lyap

 

Happy Birthday B-Bop!!

Fear not...

This seems to be tugging on me as I stay home from work today...I had someone tell me that I had said something in one of my blogs a long time ago about the fact that we say God never gives us more than we can handle not being quite the case but that He helps us handle what we are given. Was there some scripture that went along with that?

As of late...I have been on a search of Truth.  And I think of the movie A Few Good Men...and I hear "You can't handle the truth!"  Can I?   I have been reading deeper in my Bible...trying to just slowly chew and digest some of the truths that God has for me.   I have started a journal Spirit of Truth in which I put these many morsels of scripture...and it is exciting each day what comes about.  I have been told if you slowly chew your food that it is better for you...you are more satisfied...and so I have began with Psalm 119.  That is actually quite a bit to chew at one verse a day.  Especially when I get lead to so many other places.  I am reading it along with A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller.  In which he takes each morsel of Psalm 23...I have enjoyed the book but am only just starting He restoreth my soul...I spent quite some time on He leadeth me beside the still waters...because there he had said read John 14 - 17.   Well when you are chewing slowly...there is a lot to chew in these chapters!

And so I had asked another friend...what scriptures she thinks.   Well she shares that her favorite is Isaiah 41:13.   So I add it to a picture that I take that I had to stop and snap the other night on the drive home...just the way the light seemed to shine on the mountains...all be it a small portion...

And I think...how many times like this picture...we focus so much on the dark clouds...the barren lands...that we lose sight of the LIGHT...of the majesty that is before us!   But the part that just seemed to show me God's part in all this is the next day...reading in Jesus Calling...Enjoying Peace in His Presence by Sarah Young...what do you think her scripture is as she talks of "Whenever you start to feel afraid remember that I am holding you by your right hand.  Nothing can separate you from My Presence!"   As Katie says...Holy Goose Bumps...I suppose some might say...coincidence...but it does not seem coincidence to me...Right out loud Katie!   Right our loud!

So as I was saying...see I chew slowwwwwwwwwwwly....BUT this morning when I was woke up at 4:00 a.m. with the nudge to get up...it had occurred to me as I was thinking of things that I should do in my walk...and this I felt was the God will not give you more than you can handle...  Because in researching...I see no where in the Bible that says God will only give you what you can handle...there are things I feel that God did not stop from happening...but I don't feel He made them happen!   But I have felt His strength...His Presence seeing some endure what no one would think could be endured...and personally I don't think that we are strong enough.  And this comes from one who always said I can do it myself...

And so I include a verse that I was lead to this morning one that I had thought of as belonging to one person but it is for all of us...

And so I think of the many that are battling right now...many against that hated cancer!   Friends....friends of friends...and I think back of my writing this morning...

Perhaps I should put in some context...I have been thinking of how we are all parts of the Body...and I realize in proportion...I am probably just an ass molecule...perhaps some might think what is she talking about...but I am starting to see how I am such a small part of it all..what a minute part I am...and so this morning...

I am but an ass molecule such a minute tiny part of the Awesome--I search for a word..world? Being? Creation? What is this Magnificent Mass that is being created. I am part of the Body...How I act and react affects those "within my gate" until all can ultimately be affected if I am a cancer then I harm the body! Let me be a "Healthy" and by that I mean spiritually, physically, and mentally strong...Let me walk in Thy ways...though at times I fear and there seems a familiarness with Jesus Calling.

And Sarah Young writes:

"When anxiety attempts to wedge its way into your thoughts, remind yourself that I am your Shepherd.  The bottom line is that I am taking care of you; therefore, you needn't be afraid of anything.  Rather than try to maintain control over your life, abandon yourself to My will.  Though this may feel frightening--even dangerous, the safest place to be is in My will." 
 
And I come back...to Psalm 23...

Those in "my gate" you are in my thoughts and prayers as you go about this journey that you travel!  God be with you holding your hand...

lyp

Ash Wednesday...

I admit...I have not always been familiar with Ash Wednesday...and as many of you know...it holds a painful hold in the lives of our family.   You see it was on Ash Wednesday that my son-in-law, Jay Sheridan, was killed.   I still remember walking in Heather's house and wondering why some there had black on their heads...

For those not familiar...I include from Wikepedia...though I know just because it is on the Internet does not make it TRUTH!    A word I have been reminded of quite often as of late...However, I include some information about Ash Wednesday...

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Western Christian calendar. Occurring 46 days before Easter, it is a moveable fast that can fall as early as February 4 and as late as March 10.
According to the canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke; Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation by Satan.^[2][3] Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this 40-day liturgical period of prayer and fasting or abstinence. Of the 46 days until Easter, six are Sundays. As the Christian sabbath, Sundays are not included in the fasting period and are instead "feast" days during Lent ^[4].

A day of fasting...a day of prayer...a day I think of Jay...and pray for comfort and peace for those who love him.

But I am reminded of Joy...of Love...tonight I got to visit with one little Isabel...how she makes me smile and sometimes just laugh right out loud.   I told her to give Grammy a hug for me...to which she replied I'm not going to do that.   She proceeds to tell me that I am at my house how can she give Grammy a hug for me.   She then changes channels as she is looking at a world map I took it on the Ipad...but she is telling her mom it is snowing at Ahma's house...well I hope she is right!   I love that she understands that maps and weather all go together...

While at my house the other day she is grooming her dog Otis.   Not grooming as in one would groom their dog...NO Otis is now a sheep and she is grooming him just like Uncle LaLa did at the Stock Show...it was quite the entertainment...to which I was recording her.   She was focused I thought on my and the dog...even though Oppy had the news on.   She is busy working away and she hears snow on Monday.   She perks up and beings to worry as that's Grammy day and she is worried that her and Grammy will be separated by snow!   She is so funny sometimes.  I love the joy she brings to all of us!

But I think of how she is a reminder to us all that Spring is coming...that Easter will be here...and I have a picture of her and the Valentine's goose...As I do LOVE this little Firecracker!!!  Wearing her Peanut jammies from Grammy...Yes Peanut was what her dad called her...and Grammy found several sizes of these...

 I get a call from Izzy and her mama who got home from going to dinner with Grammy and Grandad after church...and Izzy is excited as she got a Valentine in the mail with a dollar in it...LUCKY DAY she says!   Her mother asks her who got M & M's on the floor that she got along with a puppy and a book from Aunt Aum and Andooo and Grammy and Grandad...without really missing a beat she blames the M & M's on the floor on Otis...poor dog!

I think of my favorite scripture...1 Corinthians 13...I think of Jay...I think of his girls...

And I read...AND NOW THESE THREE REMAIN: FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE...

And this picture makes me smile...as one little Isabel plays with her mama's ear...usually a sign she is ready to go to sleep...but also a sign that says I love you...and yes the greatest of these is love...as we head into this "Season" heading for spring...for Easter...thinking of no greater love than to lay down one's life...Thank you Jay...Thank you Jesus!

Amen

lyaaa

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MISTY

This mornings sunrise had extra pink...and though it might not show up quite as clear...it made me think of someone special...

 

So a Happy Birthday to one of my special "kids"...though she is sometimes referred to as my son's mother...or my good "son's" wife...But whatever she is called even if it is PJ's mama...we are blessed to have her in our circle of people!

I put in a few pictures from the stock show...showing how cute this glowing one is...

 

 

 And so I catch a shot of Misty telling Heather and Pat a story...I love Misty's animation and at this point Lance is still watching the sheep show...PJ will be lucky to having such a great story teller!



 

But this one is my favorite...I sometimes wonder how Misty puts up with these two guys together...but from the looks of this one I think she can hold her own...I am thankful my kids have such special friends as Misty and Pat...

 



Thank you Misty for bringing smiles to our faces and joy to our lives.   We are blessed to have you and so thankful for you!   God bless you and keep you...


lya