Vladi & Evelyn…

Vladi & Evelyn…

September 5, 2014 / 2 Comments

From 2004 – 2010, my firstborn and his family lived in Peru. My son was a missionary doctor seeing patients in a clinic in the Andes Mountains of Peru. They enjoyed their work there in the rugged, beautiful mountains of the Incas. They lived among the Quechua people, coming to know and love them. My granddaughters were 4 and 2 years old when they left for Peru, so they grew up speaking Spanish fluently and playing with their young Quechua friends. While there, they were blessed to adopt their youngest daughter.

In 2008, I enjoyed spending three weeks in Peru. During my time there, I visited the historic city of Cusco, the Sacsayhuaman and other ancient ruins, trekked through amazing Machu Picchu and had an unforgettable visit with my son and his family.

The beautiful Andes Mountains…

The city of Cusco below…

While there, I also came to know and love two young people that I will forever consider grandchildren: Vladi and Evelyn. They are brother and sister and have one other sister whom I did not have the privilege of meeting. My son and his family met Vladi and Evelyn at their church and took these precious, young Christian people into their hearts and lives.

Vladi and Evelyn’s early lives had been difficult. I don’t know the whole story but I do know they had not had easy childhoods. My Spanish was limited and, at the time, they were just learning English, so we communicated the best we could. I think they knew, however, that this Grandmom loved them. Vladi lived with my son and his family and enrolled in dental college while they were in Peru. They have continued to support him in this endeavor. Vladi graduated from dental college a few weeks ago and is now in his internship in general dentistry. It would be great if he could come to the states after his internship to continue in a pediatric dentistry program which I believe he is considering.

Evelyn is enrolled in the university there, studying agriculture. She works part time in an internet cafe. Although the tuition is free, she has to purchase her school books and supplies. I know this has not been an easy journey for either of them, but I am proud of each of them for pursuing their dreams. I am proud of my son for his part in helping a young man to become a dentist there in Peru.

I haven’t seen Vladi and Evelyn for six years now, but this Grandmom would love to see them again! We keep in touch on Facebook and I pray for them each day and for the journey ahead of them.

Below: My sweet daughter-in-love Jeanine and Vladi in Peru earlier this year

when Jeanine flew down to translate for a mission group.

Above: I love this photo of Evelyn! She’s so beautiful. Here she had traveled by one of the small buses there to take a chicken to someone who needed it! Evelyn and I laughed together that she was traveling with a chicken but it needed to be done. She has such a heart of gold.

Below: Two beautiful granddaughters: Evelyn and Kate

Below: Vladi carrying Kate on one of our treks through the ruins…2008

Below: A recent photo of Vladi (far right), who excels in soccer, and his teammates.

Below: Congratulations to Vladi for having finished dental college.

He is now in his internship in general dentistry. Way to go, Vladi!

A few more photos from my visit to Peru in 2008…

Downtown Cusco, Peru…2008

One of the fresh air markets in Cusco…2008

Taking a break after trekking down into the ruins and realizing I was so out of shape! 2008

I think these were the ruins we had hiked down into. EACH step was about 18″ tall it seemed!

Precious granddaughters in Peru…2008

Dianne
The Kid…

August 17, 2014 / 2 Comments
I loved the movie The Kid starring Bruce Willis. A Disney movie released in 2000, The Kid is a drama-comedy-fantasy about a 40 year old miserable – but successful – image consultant played by Bruce Willis. Through magic, known only to Hollywood, Bruce’s character meets himself as a ten year old boy and the story of his life evolves. It’s a great story. Much like seeing the house you grew up in…years later…and saying you “remembered it being larger” or wondering how all of you fit into 3 small bedrooms and 1 bathroom. Or seeing the backyard you played in with the big tree you climbed in and, somehow, it was all so much bigger back then. Remember the stages in your life when everything seemed so urgent – as if there would never be enough time for anything else? If you could go back and tell yourself anything at one of those stages of your life, what would you say?
- I’d tell two year old Dianne that someday there would be grandchildren who would actually favor her a little bit. I’d also tell her to hang on to the ball even when the photographer asked for it back. Apparently, he did and I told him “no, you have one”!
- I would tell 5 year old Dianne that she and her niece Sharon would always be together like sisters. She would miss her when they lived far apart but they just had to call and the other one would come.
- I’d tell nine year old Dianne to “run” and not let Mama cut her bangs anymore. In any case, I’d reassure that one day soon she could grow her bangs out – or not – just as she wanted to do!
- I’d tell thirteen year old Dianne that while it was true she would never be any taller than 5’4″ tall, she wouldn’t always be wearing a training bra!
- I’d tell 18 year old Dianne that even if that was “the style” back then, to let her hair grow out!
- I would tell 26 year old sleep-deprived, busy, happy mom of two Dianne to enjoy every single moment of these toddler years. I would tell her that they were going to grow up altogether too fast and to enjoy the journey. I would also tell her that all her children were going to grow up every bit as special as she dreamed they would.
- I would tell 39 year old Dianne, mom of a 5 year old creative entertainer, to believe him and encourage him when he said he was going to grow up and take over a well known television show one day. He is certainly headed in that direction!
- I would remind thirty-four year old Dianne to treasure every moment with all four sisters together! The sad day would come when two of them would be in Heaven much too soon.
Through it all, I know enough to know that God is in control. The Dianne of today knows not to take anyone or anything for granted…to enjoy each and every day. I may not know what the future holds…but I know WHO holds the future!

Enjoy a glimpse of THE KID below…
Dianne
Sweet gift of song…

July 17, 2014 / 4 Comments

I was relaxing on the playroom sofa engrossed in the novel by Ree Drummond with the grandchildren playing happily all around me. I noticed movement to my left barely above the back of the sofa. It was Larry-Boy, the Veggie Tale puppet. Suddenly, “Larry-Boy” broke into the happy song “Veggie Tales”. The sweet and tender voice of my just-turned-three-year-old grandson was perfectly carrying the tune.

My heart melted, and tears came to my eyes, as I thought about what a gift this sweet child is…and how different his life might have been. I’m thankful beyond words that God picked this precious child to be a part of this family…all the way from Ethiopia.

And I’m especially thankful for his sweet gift of song…

Note: for the “re-enactment”, it is “Bob the Tomato” playing the lead role. My little grandson believes in giving all of the actors a turn at their five minutes of fame.

He loves Curious George! (age 3 & 1/2 here)

If you’ve been reading my blog for any length of time at all, then you know that I dearly love my grandchildren. I found this little post gem while browsing through my previous blog of four years, My Southern Heart. My little charmer is five & a half now but just as loving and entertaining as ever…

Dianne
Almost six months later…

June 14, 2014 / 4 Comments

Once again, the months have flown by. Life has been busy with travel, sewing, knitting, writing and family! I’ve fallen behind on reading blogs and leaving comments as well as keeping up with Sweet Journey Home. I intend to do better!

I enjoyed a wonderful visit in Dallas with my younger son and his precious family in April. I loved every minute of it! Who knew I still had the energy to play on the floor and keep up with a two & a half year old and a ten month old?! Well, okay, maybe “keeping up” is stretching it just a bit! The adorable photo at top was taken at a beautiful lake in Dallas. We had attempted taking photos of the girls and their sweet family of four, but between the wind gusts and two little girls wanting down to play – it was funny!

My firstborn and his sweet family are now living in Montana where he has accepted a position with a pediatric group there. They love Montana and especially love living in the mountains in the midst of outdoor activities! Their sweet mom grew up snow skiing in New York and is looking forward to teaching the girls. The photo below was taken in route to Montana after spending the night with me after a day’s journey here. They are amazing, talented young ladies and so much fun. They stay busy with piano, violin, soccer and running cross-country. I can’t wait to visit them in Montana – hopefully in August!

I am loving living close to my daughter and her precious family. I was enlisted to pitch in to help for the month of May since my busy daughter literally had to be in several places at the same time – piano and guitar lessons, swimming, soccer and school! I don’t know how she does it all and maintain a busy home, but she manages it beautifully.

My firstborn, almost 6’2″, grandson is taking driver’s education classes now. He has taken up guitar as well as piano. Occasionally, I will hear him playing a great song and ask him what it is. Apparently, he’s creating his own music now! I love that he has become interested in the old classic movies and comes over for some movie time with grandmom! So far, we’ve seen “Foreign Correspondent”, “The Birds” and “Arsenic & Old Lace”. Currently, we’re watching “Our Green was My Valley”. It usually takes a couple of visits to see them since he’s busy and time is limited.

This photo was taken one afternoon when the girls were here for a visit. They are so much fun and sweet sisters! They have so much energy and are busy with swimming, soccer, piano and school. I’m glad they enjoy coming here for some fun time with Grandmom! I would advise you not to play a “memory” game with my ten year old granddaughter. She’s just about undefeated. I don’t think she inherited her memory from me! 😉

Sweet sister love…

This adorable little bundle of energy is amazing with his big dimples, ready smile and instant yell of “Grandmommy!!” when he hears me come in the back door. He’s so much fun and it’s a treat at my age to “play cars” once again. He likes his hair in a “high-top-fade”. Grandmommy likes the curls all over his head. 😉

Dianne
Happy Thanksgiving!

November 26, 2013 / 4 Comments

I received this precious Thanksgiving greeting card years ago from my firstborn’s firstborn. It traveled all the way from Peru where my son was a missionary doctor. He and his family lived and worked among the Quechua Indians for almost seven years. They are back in the states now, thankfully for this grandmother. The photo above was taken in the Sacsayhuaman ruins in Cusco, Peru, when I visited them.

I will spend ten hours tomorrow in a mini-van with my daughter and her family…seven of us…PLUS Kiana, the Hungarian Vizla! We are traveling to Kentucky where I will spend a wonderful week with my son and his precious family. My daughter and her family will travel an hour farther to spend Thanksgiving with my son-in-law’s family. I can’t wait to see them all! There is a pan full of “party mix” in the oven for the road trip and I’ve been stirring it every 15 minutes. It smells delicious! Why does riding in a car for so long make you hungry?! 😉 I have so much I’d like to do with my three beautiful granddaughters in Kentucky. We’ll have to work hard to get it all done in a week!

On December 4, I will fly from Kentucky to Dallas for ten sweet days with my youngest and his family. With a two year old granddaughter and a three-month-old granddaughter, I will be in grandmother-heaven! I was visiting with my two year old granddaughter the other day on Skype and mentioned that I couldn’t wait to play with her. She promptly picked up her Dad’s iPad and carried me into the playroom with her…setting “me” down in the little chair beside her! I was playing with her! I loved it…

Wishing each of you a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving with your family and friends. May you have safe travels and make wonderful memories that will last a lifetime…

Dianne
Blue skies & a perfect Summer day…

June 28, 2013 / 6 Comments

If you could paint a picture of the perfect Summer day, today would have been it. 82 degrees. Blue skies – the absolutely perfect shade of blue. Snow white cotton clouds scattered here and about across the blue. Bright sunshine. Vivid green trees and grass. A constant breeze. It was going to be a fun day and I was up at 6:30 a.m. looking forward to it.

I met my daughter and her four children (ages 15 – 4) at the YMCA at 9:00 a.m. They had been there since before 7:00 a.m. for my grandchildren who swim competitively to practice for two hours. They do this each weekday morning. They all get up at the crack of dawn! I got into my daughter’s van and we headed to a small nearby town where she has “rented” a 40′ x 40′ garden space from a nursery there.

I know I have mentioned my daughter’s drive and energy in previous posts, but sometimes I am amazed. She takes care of their large (5 bedroom – 5 bathroom) home, does laundry for their family of six, cooks totally from scratch and mostly organic (think even grinding her own flour), homeschools my grandchildren (although they have taken a few classes at the local school), maintains large flower beds all around their home, puts up homemade jams, takes care of a garden in their backyard which includes vegetables, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries AND now has a large garden space she is renting out from a nursery! She hopes to “feed their family for a year” with all the produce. She has purchased organic beef and pork for their freezer as well. (I remember my Mama commenting on my energy when I was about my daughter’s age. I confess it isn’t there anymore!)

My daughter had spent a few days over the last couple of weeks getting the garden in shape and it looks great! Some of the surrounding plots belonging to others – not so much! Today, she harvested some tender ripe squash and fresh spinach to go along with their dinner tonight.

Roses in my daughter’s flower beds…

Flowers in the front yard…just barely past their prime.

Raspberries in the backyard…

Above and below: at the 40′ x 40′ garden plot.

All the plants were thriving and looked very healthy.

Part of it is that my daughter grew all of these plants from

HEIRLOOM seeds in the basement under grow lights!

Part of it is this rich Midwest soil.

Below: Come Autumn, there will be PUMPKINS!

Afterwards, we drove around the small town and dropped by a few garage sales. My 4 year old grandson scored his first bike – a bright blue and lime green bicycle that looked new for $10! Then we stopped by the local Fareway grocery where my daughter picked up her order of organic milk. She buys something like 18 half-gallons at the time and they give her a great price! They drink a lot of milk. We stopped by the YMCA for me to pick up my car and then I met them at their house for a pizza lunch.

Last stop before heading home – and by that time I was tired – was the library to pick up the books that I had on hold there. All in all, it was the perfect Summer morning…complete with blue skies.

Dianne