Life passes

My sister and I traveled to Illinois yesterday for a funeral today and we will travel back to PA early tomorrow morning.  My Dad thinks it's silly for us to drive 1100 miles to attend a funeral but we do not because there are other benefits.

My sister and I are both in our mid fifties, relatively healthy and capable of making this trip; we drove.  Aside from paying our respects to our stepmother's dear aunt, we also have a bit of time to visit with our family here in Illinois.

Death of family and friends can impact our lives at any moment.  We don't know if this visit with our father, or 2 of our brothers or our stepmother will be our last; we pray that it won't be; but the realization of that possibility  looms larger with each passing minute at this point in our lives.

It is a bit sad that we wouldn't chose to make this quick trip, just because, but, time spent with family, for whatever reason, is not time wasted. 

Whew, where'd the time go?

Isn't this just the cutest dog dish you've ever seen??  I made it for my buddy Parker on a visit to my sister's house when she lived in Florida.  Can't remember the name of the place but it was a walk in shop, pick your project and make it.  They had the green ware ready, all kinds of things, cups, plates, platters, bowls, ashtrays, etc.  I painted and decorated it, they fired it and my sister mailed it home to me two weeks later.

This is my buddy Parker with his favorite, bestest bowl.  He had been eating out of an old stainless steel cooking pot, with the handle broken off.  He wasn't complaining about his tableware, as long as it had food in it twice a day, he was a happy guy.

As I was drying off the bowl the other day, I noticed the date on the bottom, 2003---8 almost 9 years ago!!  So much  has happened since then.  My sister & her husband moved to Tennessee, they got divorced and she moved home.  She met a nice guy and has remarried.  Her only child, Cayla, married her high school sweetheart in 2008 and six months ago today, she became a Grandma!!

I can't note as many "events" in my life since the bowl was born; it has just continued to be blessed.  I have not moved since 1987,  am married to the same guy, 22 years (yes, we lived together first) and I just celebrated 18 years at my job.  We only have furry kids; we lost Kodi at 13 in 2000 and found Parker later that year, he is 12 and Vivianne, our feline girl is 4.  No grand-kids, furry or otherwise, though my husband does have a son, so, maybe someday.
I am amazed by the travel of time it moves without you knowing it.  Marking that passage in some way is what brings it's movement into view.
As I look around and think about my family and life, I couldn't be happier.  There has been sadness but there has also been great joy.  I know there is more sadness ahead as we age, as my parents and siblings age but the joy of this moment is fulfilling and as I mentioned, I'm blessed and I thank the good Lord daily for what he has given me.
Being thankful for all the parts of life, even the not so pretty parts, helps us appreciate and recognize how lucky we are. Today the sun is shining, the ground is covered with snow, my nephew is celebrating his 11th birthday with cake and ice cream later this afternoon, how could it be any better?

Perspective

We were out at a dump site looking for rocks to use for our walkway a couple of weeks ago when I took this picture.  When I downloaded it from my camera and viewed it full screen, the first thing I thought was, wow, that picture looks weird.  It made me feel like I was standing at the bottom of a valley, looking up at mountain peaks, when really, the rock pile was just a couple of feet taller than either one of us and the trees were just regular trees in the background.

The view isn't always what it seems; it's out of focus or at a funny angle or maybe purposely deceptive.  We can't always take things at face value but I tend to, about 99 percent of the time.  We laugh together often, Marty & I, joking we are the perfect pair, you know, opposites attract; I see the good and he sees the bad, half full versus half empty.
Marty says I'm easily fooled and perhaps he's right because I do get hurt.  But I would rather be disappointed in my judgement or shed a tear or two as opposed to not giving someone or something the opportunity to prove that they are as good or better than I believe.
I think living life is all about perspective, don't you?