Oz's Advent Ribbon 2018

 

Oscar, I noticed that when Uncle Andy and Auntie Rachel came from Texas this summer that Lyra Jane was really overwhelmed by all of us.  You noticed too and quickly took her hand and led her to the office.  You grabbed a picture book and started reading to her.  She loved the attention from her big boy cousin and relaxed and was soon laughing and pointing to pictures.  That was thoughtful, loving, and kind of you.  You are an amazing young man.  Diva

 

Oscar, did you know that you have an “Oh Poppa” face?    This is it.  Poppa was telling you and your brothers a totally outrageous story.  Your face said it all.  He was hoping to get this reaction from you.  I still remember the little boy that would point to something that was broken and say, “Wick it Poppa...Oscar speak for“fix it, Poppa.”  Know that your Poppa and I love you very much.   Your Diva and Poppa

 

Oz, we love having you and your brothers come over to our house.  Do you remember counting coins out of Poppa’s change jar and using the money to buy groceries to give to the food pantry at church?  We loved watching you pick out all your favorite food for other boys and girls to enjoy.  You have a kind heart.  Diva

 

 

 

Oz,  I can not believe how flexible and “bendy” you are.  You love to freak me out with being double-jointed.  I also love your love for information and reading.  You are very much like your Poppa.  He loves pursuing knowledge.  Diva

 

 

Oscar,  I am very impressed that you know so much about Geography.  You did very well at the Geography Bee (tying for 3rd place is very impressive especially competing against 8th graders.)  We are so proud of you.  Diva

 

  Oscar, Poppa, and I love spending time with our “cookie monsters”.  We had fun decorating gingerbread with you and always look forward to being with your family for Christmas.  Diva and Poppa

Oscar,  I was so proud of you this summer helping paint at Interyear with your parents.  You are a very good helper and I love your willingness to work hard.  You are very generous with your time and a hard worker.   Diva

 

 

 

Oz, I can’t believe how quickly you are growing.  It seems like every time I see you that you have grown taller.  I am proud of you for journaling this past summer.  You have a very active imagination.  I liked your stories and your illustrations.  Keep writing it is a wonderful gift.  Diva

 

 

Poppa is so proud of his boys.  He is very happy that you are in scouting and he can be part of your pack.  Poppa loves to share his interests with you and likes when you help him sort his many screws, nuts, and bolts.  He is looking forward to teaching you woodworking on his new lathe.  Diva

 

 

 

Oscar, did you know that I can do the same forms you and your brothers do at

Olsens?  Your Diva is a water Ninja at water aerobics.  Diva the amazing.

 

 

 

 

 
Oz I love this picture of you watching the snow and the pure joy on your face.  It is my prayer that you will always be amazed and overjoyed by the beauty of nature and by our amazing Lord and Savior.  Mornings are better when you talk to God first.  Love you….Diva  

 

 

 

 Oz, I may not see you every day or talk to you every day, but I think of you and love you every day.  God is watching over you.  I know because I ask Him to.   Your Diva

 

 

My love affair with Hearts in Nature

 

I am a very sentimental person.  I love watching Hallmark movies, even though I know how it will end.  I love happy endings, treats, thoughtfulness, hearts and flowers, and random acts of kindness.  I am definitely "a happily ever after" kind of girl.  

I was reading a devotion today from a book called "Devotions for the Hungry Heart" and she shared this story with her grandchildren that I would love to share with mine.

God shows us His love by showing us heart shapes in nature.  They are all around us and pop up in unexpected places.  I like to see them so He shows them to me.  It's like a little note from heaven right in the middle of the day.  When I see it, I think about how much God loves us and I have a little party in my heart.

Had to laugh at the heart-shaped bum.













I loved the hearts on the wings of this butterfly.













Heart-shaped rocks.



So my darlings, I am hoping to have some heart adventures with you this summer.  I will start collecting some I can show you and start taking pictures of the ones I find.  Don't be surprised if we go on a heart hunt adventure.   I hope you know you are always in my heart and never far from my thoughts.

What I love about your Momma

 

This picture reminds me of my daughter Suzy.  I have seen so much personal and spiritual growth in her lately.   She is the mother of 3 active boys, works full time as a school librarian, and still manages to find time to greet each person who comes into the library with a friendly hello and a smile. 

She is a little bit cheerleader, a little bit magical, the keeper of secrets, and seems to know just what book you need (even when you don't). 

She loves to dress up during book week as a favorite character in a book.  She loves to see who can guess what character and from which book.

She recently has had to face some hard truths and decide what is more important to her...financial gain or ministry?  She chose ministry.

Ministry costs time, energy, creativity, and full commitment.  Ministry entitles you to be misunderstood, criticized, and have your motives questioned by those who feel intimidated by your giftedness.  In short," ministry is not for wimps."

So baby girl, know how proud I am of you and your commitment to the Lord.  Hold on and Jesus will carry you through.  

You are an amazing mom, a great daughter, and the first one I want to talk to whenever life is good, (and especially when it is frustrating!)  

Diva Remembers skating

When I was 8 years old one of my favorite past times was roller skating.  The picture below is the street skates I used, complete with a skate key to tighten up the clamps on my shoes.  The skate key was very important or else the skate fell off every time you picked up your foot.  I lost many skate keys growing up and had to get my dad to use a pair of pliers to adjust the clamps so I could skate.

Not only were the skates heavy and awkward but I learned to skate on the sidewalks outside our home in Abilene, Texas.  Our sidewalks were cracked and if you had any speed at all and hit the rough and uneven pavement a fall was the predictable outcome.  I don't remember how many times I fell but I usually had bruises, skinned knees and elbows and lots of colorful band-aids to show for my skating adventures. ( Remember this was long before knee and elbow pads and helmets.  So if occasionally Diva acts goofy its probably from a childhood skating accident.)  Occasionally my parents would take pity on my injuries and take us skating at the local roller rink.

Ah.....the roller skating rink with a smooth wooden floor with lots of room to skate and shoe skates that they rented out.  Back in my day, it was 8-year-old heaven.  For my 8th birthday, my parents rented out the roller rink and had my birthday party there.  I was the most popular girl in school for that brief week.  I was able to invite all my classmates, Sunday School class friends, Brownie troop, neighbors, and friends. What could be better than shoe skates, birthday cake, presents, music to skate by as well as skating games and" couples only" skating time.  I skated with Jerry Cleveland my third-grade crush....he had braces, bright red hair cut in a crew cut, thick glasses and was the smartest boy in my class.  (Yes, sweet Emma....your Diva was attracted to Nerds even back in the day.  Jerry was a math whiz and did my math homework for me. (But don't tell great grandmother--she just thought I got really smart in math in that year!) 

   I broke my arm roller skating.  It was the first of three broken wrists that I experienced in the first, second and third grade.  My cousins used to say that "I was slippery", I think they meant that I was breakable.  It was my left wrist.  I was going too fast down an incline and couldn't stop myself from hitting a parked car.  I used my left hand to try and stop myself but it bent backward and I heard it snap.  I wore a cast on it for 6 weeks.

In high school, I used to watch Roller Derby on TV.  The girls skated on a banked track and it was really a physical contact sport.  My friends always laughed at me that I enjoyed watching it and called me the Roller Derby Queen.  I actually got to go to a game in Norfolk and meet one of my heroes...Joan Westin of the Bay City Bombers.  I laughed when your Auntie Becky told me she was interested in skating with the Roller Derby in Saskatoon.

  Who knows maybe she will fulfill one of my long lost dreams and be a roller derby queen.

As I write this for you today I want you to know how excited we are to see you play soccer, skate, practice your forms, write and create.  Poppa and I love you very much and pray for your every single day.  Know that you are always in my heart and in my thoughts.

Your Roller Derby Skating Queen......Diva