Fifty and Counting

Happy 50th Birthday

I Am Now

18,263 Days Old

438,312 Hours Old

26,298,720 Minutes Old

1,577,923,200 Seconds Old

But Who's Counting

Well..... I made it. I'm FIFTY!!!! A.M.A.Z.I.N.G! I just have one quick question. How did this happen? Didn't I just graduate from high school? It doesn't seem like so much time has already pased. Let me just state that I am stoked to be fifty. I remember a time when fifty seemed old. It certainly doesn't seem that way now. In fact, in many ways I feel as if my life is just starting. Let me share some highlights of my special day.

The girls had been asking me what I wanted for my birthday for several months leading up to June. I was specific about wanting a bike. With all the weight I lost, I really wanted to get a bike and start riding on the Heritage Rail Trail here in York County. I had been walking it for a while, I figured biking it would be an enjoyable activity. Due to conflicting schedules, they asked about grilling and having some cake the day after my birthday. That was just fine with me since I didn't want them to make a "big deal" out of it. Everything was set........ Yeah, right!

The girls did it. They managed to pull off a party.... and I honestly didn't see it coming. I had been running errands on my birthday. As the afternoon progressed, the possibility of going to dinner with a friend presented itself. I had started getting ready for that when I received a phone call from Brie's boyfriend, Braxton. He wished me a happy birthday and asked if he and Brie could celebrate by taking me to dinner. I couldn't tell him no. 

We left the house and as we drove I kept wondering where we were going to eat. We went past Chili's, Olive Garden, Smokey Bones, Friendly's, Cheddar's, Red Lobster, Fiesta Mexico, Lone Star Steak House, Outback Steak House, and just about every other eatery I could think of. When we got off of Rt. 30 at Mt. Zion Road, I finally asked where we were heading. They said we were going to a little pub in Mount Wolf. Ok, I'm a sucker.... I totally believed them. Before I knew it we had turned onto a side road that headed to Rocky Ridge Park. I asked what we were doing and Brie said she wanted to take a walk with me before dinner. By this time I was beginning to suspect something was up, but when we entered the parking area, I didn't see any cars I recognized. We started walking toward the pavilions when I finally saw where we were headed. They did it! It was a celebration for me!!!! I totally lost it and started to cry. I truly was surprised. 

It was a super fun party. It was nice seeing how much planning Emile had put into making my day special. She had hung pictures all around the pavilion. There were a lot of  "subtle" reminders of what fifty looks and feels like (SO sweet), and had even had a custom cake baked for the party. At the back of the pavilion was the absolute bestest gift.... a BIKE!!!

 It's a 3-speed retro cruiser bike... and as cute as can be. I love, love, love it!! And it looks darling on the back of  Little Red. 

Now all I have to do is start riding. Yay!!!!!! I also received a bike rack, a gift certificate for a Paint Nite session and for a salon visit to Bella Dzyns, gift cards, and a picture collage of me and my wonderful sisters. I couldn't have asked for more.

Thanks, Pablo, Emile, Brie, Wesley, Braxton, Cindy, Keith, Michael, Sara, Alexandra, Isabel, Landon, Jamie, Zane, Ewan, Abric, Isla, Mike, Angie, and everyone else who were with us in spirit. You all made my birthday rock!

Fifty and counting....... Bring it on.

BLT Reunion 2014 ~ Part 1

It's that time of year again. The annual BLT Reunion just wrapped up. What a great reunion it was. This is the first one I've attended in a few years. Due to health issues as well as work schedule conflicts, I wasn't there. Emile and Brie, however, were able to go. I will honestly say that I'm glad I made it a priority to attend this year. It was great seeing everyone. You seem to forget how much you have missed people until you see them again.

This year our family decided to stay at Lake Anna in Mineral, VA. It was a much closer location for those of us in PA, was a bit more centrally located for all family members, and the price was better. On the way to VA, we made detour and ended up going to Luray Caverns. I had heard about it numerous times, however, I had never had the opportunity to go there. What a beautiful place.

Luray Caverns was discovered on August 13, 1878. The vast underground cavern contains stalactites, stalagmites, speleothems, flowstone, an underground mirrored lake, a "wishing well," and the Great Stalacpipe Organ.

The wishing well is just that. People close their eyes, make a wish, and toss a coin (or bill) into the well. Periodically the well is "emptied" and the money is sent to various charities. There is a sign hanging above the well outlining exactly where the money went, including the amounts. Pretty cool!

The Great Stalacpipe Organ

When we were on the tour, the guide told us that there have been several weddings held in the cavern. We were able to listen to essentially a "player" type musical piece while we were in the area of the organ. AMAZING!!

One other very special part of the cavern was the Veterans Memorial. Those men who served or lost their lives from Page County, Virginia, are remembered.

There is honestly no way to describe how spectacular Luray Caverns are. I have never before seen such beauty in the form I saw underground. I suppose it's another example of how much we "miss" when we don't stop and take the time to explore what we have been blessed with here on earth. Who knows, maybe someday I'll make a trip back to explore Luray with my future grandchildren....

BLT Reunion 2014 ~ Part 2

 As I began to share in Part 1, the BLT Reunion took place a short time ago.

This year's gathering was held at Lake Anna. It was a positively gorgeous location. Unfortunately we had a lot of rain the majority of the time, but that didn't dampen our spirits. We still found plenty to do. It was so great to be with the majority of our family members. Those who were unable to attend this year were missed. It's always nice to have time together. 

The way we "run" the reunion is pretty cool. Two families sign up to provide one meal. That's the only meal you have to worry about preparing, serving, and cleaning up after. It goes without saying though that everyone is willing to pitch in and help as needed. Emile and I signed up for Saturday morning breakfast. We served a continental style breakfast. The night before we left for Lake Anna, we baked a variety of muffins. In addition to that we served various hot and cold cereals, yogurts, applesauce, fresh fruits, juices, and hot cocoas. Being the "overachiever" I am, I had to make sure that everything not only tasted good, but also looked appealing. Everyone seemed to enjoy what was offered, and there was plenty left over to "munch on" throughout the weekend. Next year I plan on doing the same thing. I love serving the first morning....

Some of the highlights of the reunion include the family meeting we hold. It's a nice opportunity for everyone to be "updated" on events that have taken place during the previous year. As I already mentioned, we were missing a few loved ones. Teresa's husband, Lee, Cindy's husband, Keith, Ben, Anya, and their three kiddos, Tony, and Corey, were unable to attend. In all fairness, it wasn't until I was on my way to this years reunion that it dawned on me that we have never invited Corey (our dad's son from his second marriage) to join us for the BLT. We discussed it at the family meeting and everyone agreed that Corey (and his soon to be wife, Mallory) is absolutely going to be invited to attend from this point forward. He is a part of our family as well.... and we want him to be included in more family gatherings. I really hope they are able to join us next year.

From B-Brenda, L-Lucinda, and T-Teresa, you get the picture of what the future is looking like. These little ones are the third generation.... the ones who will someday, hopefully, continue with the tradition which was started a few years ago. If I have to count correct, we "officially" have 46 family members (strictly from we three sisters, and our two brothers). As the years pass those numbers are going to grow, and obviously as some of us pass away, the numbers will also shrink. But how cool is it to see our posterity all together like this?!! To make it a priority to gather together, to visit, play games, enjoy being entertained by the talented "little ones," watch movies, share meals, reminisce, and make new memories is really what family is about. Next year will bring new opportunities. Some will be missing (due to possible work assignments, missions, personal challenges), but we will still carry on the gathering... We will celebrate all that makes us the wonderful family we are.

Snow Is Falling

When people ask me what my favorite season of the year is, I quickly reply, "autumn." My next favorite season is spring, followed closely by winter. Summer tends to be my least favorite season... only because of the extreme humidity we have here in the east. Well, this winter has proven to be a vast departure from the past couple winters. Namely in the area of bitterly low temperatures, and heavy snow fall, and even a severe ice storm. Even I'm ready for some relief from all of it.

We have had so much snow. The first storm was "exciting," and resulted in me making some "comfort" foods. It's the best thing to have when you're tired from shoveling tons of snow. We all took turns and worked together to keep the sidewalks, stairs, and parking spots cleared. To be honest, the last time we had this much snow I was unable to do the heavy shoveling due to how fat I was and how bad my congestive heart failure was. This year I was able to pitch in and work hard. It felt good to feel this level of accomplishment. That said, there were so many storms this winter that even I began to feel a little overwhelmed by all of them.

Is there anything better than homemade chicken noodle soup and banana bread on a cold winter day? I don't think so, and neither did my little family. Even Samantha enjoyed some of it. I know, you shouldn't give dogs table food, but this was a special occasion. All's well that ends well. And winter, you can go away any time now......

I Screwed Up... BIG TIME

 Once upon a time, there lived a woman who marched to a beat of her own. It can be said that she wasn't the best at following the admonitions of those who tried to "show her the way" in various areas of her life. She prided herself on getting away with "cutting corners" where she could. And she always looked for ways to "do it my way." She seemed to be doing very well with her plan until one day..... UH OH!!!!

Oh wait, did you think you were reading a Fairy Tale? The kind were everyone lives happily ever after? Well, you can forget that one. This is more like a horror story about a girl who screwed up... BIG TIME. Yep, you guessed it. I injured my eye, and let me just say, it hurt really, REALLY bad.

Because of this tiny, itty bitty contact, I now have a corneal ulceration. Yes, I will again state that this condition is 100% my fault. Grrrrrr. I hate when I have to admit that. It just feels and sounds so wrong. Anyhow, here's how it all happened. A few days ago (like 4 days to be exact), my left eye began to feel scratchy. I decided I'd better take my contacts out that night before I went to bed. But did I do it? No, of course not. I had dozed off and when I woke an hour or so later, I was too lazy to get up and take them out. So Thursday morning comes and my eye feels a little worse, but guess who doesn't have a pair of back-up glasses? Ummm... yes, again, that would be ME. GRRRRR. Obviously I still didn't take them out. By that middle of the day I was really starting to feel serious discomfort. I knew I was in trouble. I just didn't realize how much trouble.

After work that evening, I F-I-N-A-L-L-Y took the contacts out. I didn't realize that by this point, it was too late. The next morning when I woke up the eye was more inflamed, weeping, and painful, than it had been the night before. Obviously, I didn't put a contact in that eye. Off to work I went... only seeing clearly out of my right eye. The pain continued to increase as the day wore on. I even went to the school nurse and got an ice pack. By 1pm I had decided to try and get in to see my doctor. That was a big NO. Since it was Friday afternoon, all the available slots were filled. I knew I had to be seen as soon as possible, so as soon as school dismissed, I went to an urgent care facility.

After an examination, the physician's assistant said I had a foreign body in my eye. She tried to remove it but was unable to do so. She immediately sent me to an ophthalmologist. Once I arrived there, the doctor did another examination and told me that I did NOT have a foreign body in my eye. Nope, instead he said I had a corneal ulceration. Nice! And what, you may ask, causes said ulceration? According to the doctor, contact lens abuse. A-B-U-S-E... such a harsh word. I like to think of it as contact lens "over use." That has a softer ring to it, don't you think?

Ok, the injury is the result of abuse. GRRRRR!!! In order to heal the eye, I have been prescribed two different types of eye drops. The first dilates the pupil (and basically paralyzes the eye) in order for the eye to rest. I use this drop once every day.

The second medication is the antibiotic used to kill the bacteria that is eating away at my cornea. Yummy. I instill one drop every two hours while I'm awake.

As of this very moment, my eye feels 100 times better. I still cannot wear a contact on that eye. Basically I feel like I'm lopsided. I can deal with that though. I have to go back to the eye doctor on Tuesday afternoon. Hopefully he'll tell me it is safe for me to start wearing contacts again. Regardless, from here on out, the contacts come out every night. Even though I was wearing the kind that are supposedly safe for overnight use, I am not getting any younger (I know, big shocker), and I want to have my eye sight intact for many years to come.

And they all lived......

Saying Goodbye

Today was the funeral for Dianna Sue Tibbs. As funerals go, it was a very nice service. Gladfelter Funeral Home was in charge of making the burial arrangements. They were the same funeral home that worked with Lesa's family at the time of her death. Lucy is the director, and may I just state that she is an amazing lady. She was positively wonderful to work with both times. I cannot begin to imagine how challenging her job can be, but she is perfectly suited to do it. I have decided that when my time comes, I want Gladfelter's to handle my arrangements.

A few days after Tibbsette passed, Tibbs asked if Emile would give the opening prayer, and if I would give a eulogy. I was a little surprised. Of course I said yes. It was an honor to share some of my thoughts about a special friend. I had no idea just how difficult it was going to be. It was much harder for me to give this eulogy than it was to give Lesa's. I'm not sure why that is though. Suffice it to say, I got through it, and I truly hope it helped her grieving family.

In addition to my remarks, Tibbsette's sister, Linda, spoke about what it was like growing up with her. There were a lot of chuckles! Dare I say that Tibbsette was a bit of a "free-thinker." No wonder I liked her. Next, her daughter, Sherry spoke about the relationship she had with her mother. She did a great job. Again, some laughter was shared by all. Following Sherry's remarks, Brandon Bushey, a close family friend, spoke. He talked about the promises of eternal life, as well as the importance of using this mortal experience to prepare for our next sojourn. When he concluded his talk, Tibbs spoke. What a good man he is. He had married Dianna when she was "18 years old... by a week." They spent 51 years together! How cool is that??? It had to be incredibly hard for him to say goodbye to his sweetheart, but he did so with amazing strength and poise. Finally, Bishop Gogna shared some closing remarks. He touched on some of what each of us had shared in our remarks. As was the case during the entire funeral, his message resonated deep within my heart and mind.

Following the memorial service, we drove to Susquehanna Memorial Gardens in Dallastown. Brother Van Tassell dedicated the grave. It was a very cold day, so the graveside service was brief. Everyone went back to the church for a meal, which was served by the Relief Society sisters. Everyone talked and shared fond memories... not only of Tibbsette, but of Lesa as well. It was wonderful being surrounded by so many people who loved both of these ladies.

I will end this post by saying that I am grateful for the friendship I share with the Tibbs family. It has been a humbling experience to be included in such pivotal moments. Though there is sadness and our hearts ache, there is also heartwarming memories we hold near and dear. I am thankful for the opportunity I have had to serve the Tibbs family. I also look forward to the days, weeks, months, and years of friendship we have ahead of us. And most importantly, I cannot wait until I get to see Lesa and Tibbsette on the other side of the veil.

Baby, It's COLD Outside

One of my favorite songs that is played during the holiday season is Baby, It's Cold Outside by Frank Loesser. The song is based on a conversation between a man and a woman... she's suggesting it's time for her to go home, he's trying to get her to stay. The weather we've been dealing with the past week or so has reminded me of this song... in more ways than one.

Can you say "POLAR VORTEX" once or twice? I sure can. In fact, so can a whole lot of other people in the United States. We have been dealing with the coldest temperatures on record in the past 25 years or more. And when I say cold, I mean bone chilling cold.

It has been so cold that schools were cancelled. Administrators were worried about students waiting for buses in sub zero temps. I don't remember when it's been this cold. I hate to think about how much heating oil I'm going through. It's crazy.

How cold is cold? This is a picture of Niagara Falls, taken from the American side. Yes, you are correct it you think the falls are frozen. This may sound stupid of me, but I didn't realize the falls could freeze. Not with the volume of water that falls. Obviously, I was wrong.

This is what a frozen water fall looks like. Amazing. Simply amazing. I don't know what the rest of the winter has in store for us, but I sincerely hope it's not these frigid temperatures. Baby, it's BRUTAL outside.

Unbelievable...

It is with much sadness and to a great extent, disbelief, that I write this post. Dianna Sue Tibbs (Tibbsette to my family), passed away early this morning. I received a phone call from Tibbs (her husband) around 10 o'clock this morning. I was surprised when I saw his name come up on my cell phone. I immediately answered and he asked what I was up to. I told him I was heading to the Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg. He told me to have a good time and be careful on the roadways. We were expecting an ice storm and he said the roads may get pretty bad.

Up to this point, I kept thinking to myself that it didn't make sense that Tibbs would be calling me at that time of day... especially on a Sunday morning. I finally asked him if everything was alright. That's when he told me he had called to let me know that Tibbsette had passed away earlier that morning. I was stunned. I mean like you could knock me over with a feather, stunned. Pablo was sitting across the table from me and could tell I had received shocking news. Even as I write this it is hard to believe that she has passed away. As the conversation was coming to a close, Tibbs told me again to have a fun time at the farm show, and to stop by when I got back from Harrisburg. Needless to say, Pablo recognized that I was in no shape to go, and instead suggested that we go to Tibbs' house instead. That's what we ended up doing. And I'm so glad we did.

Tibbsette was Lesa's mother. I had become friends with the Tibbs family long before Lesa was diagnosed with cancer. From that point forward, however, our friendship just got stronger. I truly loved being with Tibbsette. She was a hoot. I laughed more than one time at some of her antics. One of her funnier stories involved being busted by the police for having beer on the beach. She was with a group of her lady friends that she had worked with before she retired. They thought they were being pretty slick when they put their beer inside of those cooler rings (the kind you get at football games and such). Well, that proved ineffective when a police officer came along and asked to see what they were drinking. B-U-S-T-E-D!!! He made them dump the beer, and told them the only reason he wasn't citing them was because they were older ladies (all were in their mid 60's) who were minding their own business, and not causing any trouble. That said, however, they were given a reprimand about not bringing beer to the beach again. Hahahahahahahaha....

I am so thankful that I was able to spend time recently with Tibbs and Tibbsette. They were here with us on Thanksgiving, I had lunch with her, Tibbs, and their daughter, Sherry, on December 27th, and I saw her again on New Year's Day. I hosted my annual pork and kraut feed with extended family and friends. Maybe that's one of the reasons why I was so shocked to hear the news of Tibbsette's passing. In spite of the fact that she had been experiencing health problems in recent months, she was doing well on New Year's Day. Actually, she seemed much better that day than she had been on Thanksgiving. I'm sure as the days go by I will find myself thinking of more memories I shared with Tibbsette. Things won't be the same without her. My heart breaks for Tibbs. He has had to say good-bye to a daughter, and now his wife of 51 years. Even with the knowledge of eternal life, it's still sad losing a loved one here in mortality.

It goes without saying that I'll be keeping a close eye on Tibbs. The girls and I love him more than words can express. I know that we cannot fill the void left by Tibbsette's passing, but I do hope we can help "lighten his load." For now that is all we can do.

Did I Mention?

Let me begin by saying that I realize it's already the first day of 2014. In spite of that I felt it was important to share some of the details of this past Christmas season. I love Christmas and I always feel a bit of sadness when I have to say "goodbye" to the season. When I look back on past years posts, I find happiness in the memories I recall. Such will be the case with this post.

Some of the "simple pleasures" of the holiday season included making cookies and decorating gingerbread houses. One evening, Brie, Braxton, and I, made chocolate chip, oatmeal tassies, peanut butter kiss, and sugar cookies. It was so much fun... and the house smelled super yummy. Brie decorated her own gingerbread house, and Emile and Wes made a little gingerbread village. 

Christmas morning was different for our little family this year. Instead of we three ladies opening gifts together, we were each joined by the special men in our lives. If you take note, you will see six stockings (plus Samantha's) hung with care. It was wonderful sharing the excitement of Christmas with Wesley, Braxton, and Pablo. Who knows, maybe there will be many more years spent together for all of us

Christmas evening, after Emile and Brie had left to celebrate the holiday with their boyfriend's families, Pablo and I went out to look at Christmas lights. It's the first time I did something like that on Christmas. I must admit, it was a lot of fun. The night was quiet, peaceful, and very relaxing. I think it's something I would enjoy doing again. Maybe I've stumbled upon a new tradition!

As the girls are getting older, I realize that within a few more years there will be more and more changes taking place. Emile and Brie are going to find men to share their lives with. I'm sure I will do the same. Grandchildren will come along and bring an entirely new form of joy. But for now, I am grateful for the happiness that I felt as we all spent another Christmas together.