I know...it's been quite some time since my last post. Life - it DOES tend to get busy-busy. But I just had to post today.




It's been such a bitterly cold December. I mean - WOW! - today, the high was predicted to be zero, wind chills in the -20 to -30 degree range. Horrible... When I let Lucy out, within a few moments, she's acting like her feet are almost completely numb, and I have to encourage her, enthusiastically, to come up the deck stairs to come in. Scares me a bit... I haven't even been out of the house (except to scoop snow...) for 3-1/2 days.




Today (it's a Sunday), Mark decided it's time to start Xmas shopping, so he went out a couple times (crazy c---sucker!) One of those times, I was down in my walk-in closet, finding a couple presents I need to wrap for him, and decided to bring up the little jewelry tree that his Mom, Thelma, gave us several years back. I love this little tree... It's constructed on one of those stryofoam bases (tree shaped) you can get at a hobby store, with old jewelry glued to it. When I first saw it, I thought "This is a little gawdy..." But as I looked at it, I really quite came to adore it. I thought, "These are pieces of jewelry that a woman - whose son I've fallen completely in love with - collected over many, many years..." And as I got it out each year at Christmastime, I would look at it closely and find new beloved pieces. Just look at some of the beauty of this little tree... Here is the whole tree, a foot or so tall...






There are so many interesting pieces on this little tree. I swear, every time I look at it, I see something new. On one side is a photo of my husband as a pre-teen in a teeny-tiny photo frame...

Mark is the one in the more upper-left of the photo. Thelma, his Mom, and a brother (who died) they adopted before Mark is in the double frame... Look at all the very pretty stuff that makes this tree so very opulent... and personal...

Anyway, so today I was in my walk-in closet and found the little tree I usually get out at Chritmastime, and thought, "Oh, it's time to get this out!" Brought it up and put it on the dining room table. As Mark and I were having dinner, I realized (both vocally and mentally at the same time...) that it was exactly 10 years ago today that his mom passed... It absolutely caught me off-guard. 10 years!!! I can not hardly believe it's been that long. Yet, at the same time, it seems like a lifetime sine I sat with my mom-in-law...Time is such a wierd thing...

So I guess I just wanted to post a blog on this date, the ten-year-anniversary of Thelma's crossing into the loving arms of Jesus, into the afterlife which has surely invigorated her into health again, into the knowledge of "source." I look forward to our seeing each other again, and thanking her for her son who I adore. I know Mark feels the same way, though he's guardedly cautious in showing his emotions... Say "hello" to his dad, if you will. So, Thelma, we love you, miss you, and hope you are watching over us. On this 10th anniversary, Thelma, would you mind sending me some more wheat pennies? I SO very appreciated them and would LOVE to see some more - a sign I recognize of your presence...

With love and appreciation... your adoring DIL... Denise