Book dedications

** ALSO posted at Eli's blog - www.eli-eli.oh.blogspot.com

Since I changed school districts, I've had the opportunity to dedicate books in memory of loved ones to the school library. Through the loss of some friends and relatives, there are now several books bearing their names in the regular circulation at school. The hope is that a book is chosen that bears some part of the person now gone.

This year, we've lost my Grandma, my Uncle Leo, my Dad, and also my Aunt Vivian. I have chosen a book for everyone but Aunt Vivian. I hope to do that in January so there will be a book bearing her name, too.

For my Grandma, I chose a book about a Grandmother and her granddaughter - and their quilt. It is called The Patchwork Quilt by Valerie Flournoy. Here's a brief summary: Tanya's grandmother had begun to make a patchwork quilt using scraps from old shirts, Halloween costumes, and any other materials that had meaning to them. Tanya was so interested in how her grandmother so carefully cut pieces of material and sewed them together so she spent much of her time watching and helping her grandmother produce this "masterpiece." On Christmas morning, Grandma becomes sick and is no longer able to work on finishing the quilt. With the help of her mother, Tanya takes it upon herself to help finish the quilt for her grandmother. Finally, when Grandma is able to begin working on the quilt again, she finishes it by stitching on the last square, which reads, "For Tanya From your Mama and Grandma."

For my Uncle Leo, I chose a book about a joking rabbit called
bad hare day by Miriam Moss. Uncle Leo always had a great story or anecdote to share and this story reminds me of something he would tell.

For my Dad, I chose a book called If You Listen by Charlotte Zolotow. It is a story for children who have suffered the loss of a parent or someone they love through distance, divorce or death. The little girl's father had been gone for a long time. She asks her mother how you know if someone far away is loving you. "You have to listen inside yourself," her mother said, "just the way you strain to hear the dog barking in the hills, or the rustle of birds in the leaves of the trees. If you listen hard you'll feel someone far away sending love to you."

Recently, I've also enjoyed a book called Tear Soup by Pat Sweibert and Chuck DeKlyen. The story is about "Grandy," but she could just as easily be me or you, and Grandy has suffered a loss, so Grandy begins to make tear soup. Tear soup cannot be made just out of a can, but is an individual process, as unique as each chef; and only through the soup making can we fully heal and move on. Since receiving this book myself, I've bought several copies to share. It is a beautiful story and has beautiful illustrations.

I'm hoping these tributes will be meaningful as time passes. Blessings to you!

Holes in the Floor of Heaven

I've had an obsession with Steve Wariner since I was in college. He sings a song about a "Plano Texas Girl" and it got to be a joke that he was singing about me...NOT!

Anyway, this song of his has always spoken to me. Now, after losing Daddy and Gram, it plays in my head on rainy days sometimes.

Thanksgiving

In anticipating this holiday, and a whole week off work, I began to worry. Not in the sense that something would go wrong but in the sense of dread. Something horrible is coming...

We made 'alternate plans' for the holiday so it wouldn't be so obvious that we're missing Daddy and Grandma. The new plans included my Husband taking over ALL the cooking and moving the lunch celebration to our house.

Mom and I gave Husband a hard time for changing all the recipes, too. He didn't want to make "all the same stuff" that we always make. So, he chose new recipes from the Food Netork after lots of reading and researching online. He made:

Good Eats Roast Turkey

Sage, Sausage and Apple Dressing

Mashed Potatoes (with heavy cream!!! what?!?!?!)

Gina's Turnip Greens (ewwww!!!)

Rich Chocolate Pecan Pie

Turns out, all the items were awesome. Well, not the turnip greens. They smelled good but didn't taste as well as they smelled. And, there was an issue with the pecan pie. Husband didn't like the one that Eli and I made ("Looks burned," he said.) so he made another one - that "Looks burned," I said. Tasted the same, regardless.

Of course, I made pumpkin pies from real pumpkins and not puree'. Yummy! Eli even helped with some of the prep!! Good boy!

My brother showed up just before lunch and got to play with Eli a bit. Kit chose to stay with her sister at the lake but did send a neat bread cornucopia and jalepeno cornbread muffins.

All in all, it was a nice day. We missed Daddy and Grandma (and Kit, too) but this is our 'new normal.' As time passes, we are continuing to be more and more like Humpty Dumpty and putting ourselves back together again in a different, less welcome, way.

Uncle Terry was able to read books to Eli at night-time, to experience the towel cape after bath and get lots of love from (especially) the nephew! It was great to see!

Friday afternoon, on Terry's way back to the lake, we went to visit Daddy's grave. The cemetary is beautiful but it's just so far from us. We just can't get there on a regular basis. I find myself talking to Daddy when I'm sewing, giving Eli a bath or doing laundry. It's easier to talk to him wherever I am rather than going to the cemetary - nevermind that he isn't there. He's got a front row seat of all that's going on. I miss being able to call him with questions about anything and everything, telling him the latest funny thing that Eli has done, etc.

The dreaded event in my head didn't occur. It was just another event that the anticipation of being 'without' wasn't as bad as I thought it would be...does that make sense? Not that I miss Daddy or Grandma less, just that it was different than I thought it would be?
Happy Thanksgiving, ya'll!

Another birthday

My husband's birthday was on November 15th. We celebrated with lunch at Olive Garden. Mom, Eli, Husband and I were there. It was a small but fun celebration. Eli kept us all 'on our toes!' There was an obvious absence of Daddy and Gram this year, though.

Our neighbor made a 'from scratch' carrot cake with homemade cream cheese icing for Husband. It was so yummy and very much appreciated.

As we were enjoying it, I could imagine Daddy saying, "Where'd they get the scratch?" HAHA