Meet Grandbaby Ruth

October 2, 1976

In some ways it seems like such a short time ago. It was the day that I committed to love and cherish Dale for the rest of our lives. It was a day that changed my life forever. I will always be grateful to God for leading us to that point as we stood before our family and friends to pledge our love for each other.

Parts of that day I remember so well, others are gone forever. The night before the wedding I remember realizing that this would be the last night in "my room". I was saddened by that thought.
I remember waiting at the bottom of the stairs of the church after the others had headed up. I remember waiting at the end of the aisle with Dad as we prepared to walk down toward Dale. I was so nervous! I even remember sighing with relief after Pastor Mooney pronounced us "man and wife".

We thought we were ready.

Boy, did I have a lot to learn, we both did. I'm so grateful for all that God has taught us in our years together. That day we thought that we were so in love - that we could never love each other more. But, I was wrong. As we have matured and grown our love has changed. It too, has grown and matured. We understand each other so much better, can "read" each other without a word spoken at times. We are comfortable with each other, but still are wanting more for our lives and time together.
We went out to a local restaurant to celebrate on the 2nd and as we talked, Dale mentioned that he doesn't remember thinking about what this time in our lives would be like. We knew we wanted a family and that I hoped to be able to stay home with the boys. But, we hadn't thought about what it would be like to be "empty nesters". Zach is still in college, so this is really his home yet, but for the most part he is gone. So, it's just the two of us. It took a while to get used to that. But, now it is a time that we enjoy. Oh, don't get me wrong, we love having them home. It's just that now we've fallen into a routine, a good routine, that works for us. It really is less stressful once the kids leave! We enjoy being together, even if it's just sitting on the porch.


I look at this picture and I see two people who now seem so young. Where did that couple go? Where did the 32 years go?

What would I say to them?

I'd tell them...
keep their eyes on God. He is the only one who can get you through the difficult times, and all marriages have them.
Learn to let go of all the little things that really don't make a difference anyways.
Don't sweat the small stuff and be willing to forgive the big stuff.
Never let go of your dream to spend your lives together enjoying the time that God gives you.
Have fun, work together, pray together, live life together, dream.

I need to go... and sit by the "sweetheart of all my dreams".

Summer's End

I can not hardly believe that it is September 1st today. But, I just ripped August from my little calendar and there it was!

Saturday we went to an Amish Auction. There are several held each year in Wisconsin. One is always the Saturday before Labor Day. They sell hundreds of quilts of varying sizes, baskets and beautiful furniture.






They also have an area where people can bring in things that they want to be auctioned off. We again brought a load up. We’ve been going through things in the house & garage packing up things that we no longer need. Dale had a large amount of tools and miscellaneous items. We put it out in the field along a fence line and the second auctioneer sells these items while another one is under the tent top selling the quilts. In about 2 weeks we will get a check in the mail for our total, minus the 12% that the Amish use for their school. The Amish do all of the selling at the auction and providing of delicious food. They also sell baked goods and homemade noodles. It is always such an interesting clash of cultures – the Amish buggies all lined up, the women in their plain dresses and men in solid colored shirts, little boys with the bowl-cut haircuts and the little boys & girls running around barefooted. Then there’s us. It causes me to pause and think about what we have and what we really need.















When I was outside on the screen porch this morning there were several large V’s of geese heading South over our house. Behind us is a river and just up the river a little it has an area that is very wide. As a kid we used to call it the Mill Pond, although there has never been a mill on it. In the Fall the geese like to congregate there. So again this morning I heard the familiar sound of the geese.

The quiet, unhurried time on the porch with my Bible open speaks to me of Summer.
The calling of the geese speaks of Fall.

When asked which season I like best, I would tell you that there are things that I love about each of them. But, honestly, it’s summer that I love most.
I’m gearing myself up to getting up early tomorrow morning to go back to work at a local high school. I’m trying to decide when I’ll bring out my Fall items for the house. I’m just not quite ready to let go of summer. So I made a light summer lunch of a ham & cheese mix that I put into a pita. It’s great for a hot day like today. I was in the pool twice and also sat outside and read.
It has been a lazy day, a summer day. I loved it!

I’ve loved my walks with my Mom three times a week. That has now ended.
This week it seems that many things start – work, youth group, planning suppers ahead of time. Oh, and as Dale reminded me – it’s the start of the football season.
Oh,boy. Can't wait.

But, it is a new season.
God has helped me to prepare for it.

I feel ready.
I think.

Rockin' the Corum!

This is the flyer that Zach put up for his Sr. recital last Thursday. Dale and I headed out on Wednesday so that we would have time to drop off some needed furniture at the apartment that he had recently moved into with 3 other guys. It was nice to see the neighborhood where he lived. I love being able to picture in my mind what he’s talking about, to be able to “see” his world. We went to a nearby place for lunch called Marie Catrib. They have an interesting cuisine which is a combination of Lebanese and Yooper flavors. (Upper Michigan for you none Midwest folks) It was quite different from anything around here.

Thursday we helped Zach move some of the sound equipment from one building on the campus to the Student Union where his concert would be held. Both sets of Grandparents were able to make it to Grand Rapids along with Sharyn & Lori (Dale’s 2 sisters) and Peter, our nephew.




Christina, Zach’s girlfriend, did a wonderful job of planning and making the food for the reception. Our family helped by bringing bars, breads and some fruit. I’m so thankful for Christina’s willingness to do that for us and Zach, of course. She had a delicious assortment of food that the college students greatly enjoyed. We had them grab some food before Zach started playing. It made it feel more like a concert at a coffee house than a recital. There was a lot of food so that also gave them more time to eat!













Zach did a terrific job playing. He played 14 songs. Eleven of them were ones that he had written. A bass player and a drummer accompanied him on most of the songs. I really liked how they sounded together.



You could tell that he was comfortable in front of the almost 100 people who were there. The head of the music department said that it was one of the best attended recital/concerts ever. I also liked that fact that he had to write up information about each song, so that helped us to understand the meaning behind the lyrics on some of them.



I sat in the back and not only thoroughly enjoyed watching Zach, but I was also watching others watch Zach. It was unlike a “coffee house” in the fact that no one was talking. Everyone was totally focused on him. At the end of the last song there was an immediate standing ovation – even by his professors that were there.
I don’t know where he gets it from.
Well…I guess I do. His musical ability is a gift from God. He has an unusual ability write music and play notes that come from somewhere inside of his head.
What a gift. Our prayer is that he continues to use that gift to give glory back to the one who gives “a new song”, God Himself.




On Friday before heading home we went to Holland, MI and made a stop at Veldheer’s. It’s a tulip farm. We had been there is Spring a few years ago and saw the millions of tulips in full bloom. Now, in the Fall, the bulbs are for sale. So I wanted to pick some up to plant at home. That should keep me busy for a good part of a Saturday!











It was a fast 2 days. But, it was a wonderful 2 days. To able to share in Zach’s accomplishments with family and friends is something that stirs deep in a mom’s heart. I am so thankful for everyone who came and helped make that night so special.

If you’re interested in hearing some of his new songs go to:
www.myspace.com/zachvinson

Letting Go....Again

It’s the most difficult time of the year for me, the end of August. It’s the time when students head back to school. Seniors from youth group are moving on to college and they are saying their “good-bye”s.

But for the 10th year in a row, I am saying “good-bye” to one of my own. Zach was home for about 3 weeks and it has been a joy to have him here. I love having him around – having his friends around – hearing him play his music at a wedding and at a coffee house. He has been working part-time and has been busy finalizing the details of his CD and upcoming recital. I try to be here most of the time when I know that he’ll be home. The time just goes by too quickly.

In the earlier years I would always be wondering if they were ready. Did we talk about money issues, friends, churches, studies…..?
This morning I find myself wondering if there are any last truths that I should be sharing, any words of wisdom that I should tell him, anything that God has laid on my heart for his life?

This morning it was Psalm 37:4, 23-24
“Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.

If the LORD delights in a man’s way, He makes his steps firm;
Though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with His hand.”

I tearfully read theses verses to Zach as he was about ready to head out.

You see, if we “delight” – find joy- in Him, then our ways WILL delight the Lord because we will be seeking to please Him in all that we do.


I notice that there are no extra shoes in the entry, no guitars at the bottom of the stairs, no books lying around. The only evidence that he was here is his name tag from work on our bench.
Oh, and a dirty bathroom.

I know that I will see him next week when we head to Grand Rapids for his Sr. Recital for his Contemporary Christian Music Major. He will be playing his own music and it will be more like a concert than recital. So, I’m excited to be there along with his grandparents and Dale’s two sisters.

I remind myself that he loves God, that he is where he feels God wants him to be, that he is developing the talents that God has given him.

But, the letting go....is still hard.

Life Long Friends

Last week a friend of mine, who now lives out of town, was back to visit her parents. Usually when she comes there is only time for a short get together. In that time we cover all of the major goings on in our lives: spouses, kids, parents, jobs. The time goes by quickly and she is off again. This time she was able to stay for a few days without it being the rush of a Holiday. It was so much fun to be together again unhurried.
Linda and I have been friends for as long as I can remember. We were neighbors, classmates and attended the same church. That meant we were in the same Sunday School classes, youth group, attended church camp together and even sang together. We were together when we made our S.S. teacher cry – and they weren’t tears of joy either, sorry to say.

With another friend, the 3 of us pooled our great resources and bought a little tent which we would camp in during the summer. We would set it up in the back field behind my parent’s house, in fact, right where my house now sets. We would run through the fields in the middle of the night getting wet up to our knees from the alfalfa. Then we would lay on the highway that was still warm from the summer sun. Those were the years of trying to figure out who we were and who we wanted to be. There was the typical Jr. High game of Truth or Dare and others while we camped that seem to be almost a rite of passage. And I remember saying good-bye in her driveway the day that she left for college.
We stood up in each others weddings and celebrated with the birth of each of our kids.

We would go for quite a while without seeing each other or talking. But, it is so wonderful to be able to pick up almost right where we left off years before. I have been so thankful that for the past several years we have made it a point to do a better job of keeping in touch. I actually think that Linda worked on that before I did. I am so blessed by her friendship.
So last week did a project together. She had brought along a small bookcase that we painted and then did a feather technique to add other colors.
Late one night, when it was the height of the Perseid Showers, we laid out on a blanket and watched the show. Well, it wasn’t much of a show, it was rather slow. We only stayed out ‘til midnight so we didn’t see a lot of them. But, it was a wonderful time to talk, lying there looking at the expanse of the heavens created by the God that both of us love.
And to share:
To share what God has been teaching each of us
To wonder – and hope – that there is food in heaven :)
To share concerns with each other

In the book that I just finished reading the author says, “The gift of friendship among women is a treasure not to be taken lightly. … Friendships need to be nurtured and guarded and fought for. To have a women friend is to relax into another soul and be welcomed in all that you are and all that you are not.” We need to “listen between the lines.” When we do that and show love in the little ways “We offer our hearts.”

So, Thank you, Linda, for letting me help you paint, for Tiramisu Tuesday, for watching the heavens with me late one night last week, for praying, for pursuing, for being my friend.
I am blessed!

Family Camping '08

For the past, oh, maybe about 15 years, once a summer we go camping with family. When the boys were home it would be with Terry & Sandy and their kids, our family and also my parents. Early on Mom and Dad used to take just the grand kids for a fun weekend and give us some time alone. Then we all started going. Usually we stay in WI. One year we headed out to Colorado and had a wonderful time out there in the mountains and another year we went to Missouri – now referred to as “misery”. Sorry those of you who love it there. Picture 90 degrees and humid and us having our usual campfire while we sit 20 feet away. It was nuts!

Slowly the kids started dropping out of the camping scene as they moved on and out. The first time that we camped without either of the boys it just didn’t feel right. There was definitely a void. Now we are used to it and we are the ones at the campground and beach watching young parents with their kids. A number of times we’ve said, “Remember when….?”

This year we went to Ottowa Lake. It’s a state park near Eagle, WI just a little west of Milwaukee.

It is a little campground with a nice lake but not a lot of other things there at the park to do. Nearby there were hiking trails which we didn’t go on because the mosquitoes were AWFUL! We never even had a campfire in the evening because: a. the mosquitoes were so bad and b. it was too warm. So that was really weird for us.


I had 35 bites on one leg from the first night.

Dale's following at Ottowa Lake.

We spent one day at “Old World Wisconsin”. It is an historical park with century old homes that have been moved there and restored. They have people working there as if it were the 1880’s. It was a beautiful place and thankfully there was a tram that brought us from one area of homes and old stores to another. Each area was a little different because they were built by settlers from different countries.












Dale found a little hiking area with a trout stream and unbelievably clear pool where we spent a little time. It was called Paradise Springs. About 80 years ago it had a hotel, horse track, spring water bottling plant and a water turbine. Now all that is left is some of the stone walls. Of course, Dale wasn’t too interested in that. He spent his time fishing. He caught 2 while we were there. We could see them in the clear spring fed pool. But, after that he couldn’t get them to bite. He said that he tried every fly that he had with him. Believe me, that’s a lot.


Looking for more














For suppers we took our turn making supper for the 6 of us. That gave us the other meals off. That has really worked out well and we have fantastic meals.
After that we played “Jocker”. It’s a fun board game and it is the men against the women. Boy, do we get competitive. This year we tied at 4 wins each. We’re going to have a tie breaker in the near future.

Reunion Pictures

For all of you family who were not able to be at the reunion, I've put together a slide show.
It will run on it's own or you can click on the arrows on the top or the little pics below. I tried to get some of everyone, but I know that I didn't. Sorry. Everyone is on the group picture. It's hard to see clearly so that's why I sent along the group picture separately.

Enjoy.

The next entry below has more of a write up about the day.