Home for the summer now!!

I returned from ON and western NY a few days ago after spending a wonderful two weeks with David, Ann, Billy, and Manny and many cousins and friends in ON.

I now have an amazing little iPhone that's become both a delight and frustration!!! I love being able to be in touch and it's a marvelous little camera, however I've been unable to download my recent pictures onto my computer, so I can't include any until I get some help.

Although the past few weeks have been most enjoyable, I've missed Bob so much. He would have been so thrilled to be with the kids and grandkids and so proud of their accomplishments and such an encourager to each one--and to me, of course!! Experiencing life together was such a gift and I miss that mutual sharing of joys and concerns and all of life.

It also hit me for the first time that I am now the "matriarch" of the family--without the "patriarch". That seems like such a heavy responsibiity. But as I began to more seriously and prayerfully ponder this, I realized that it is also a tremendous opportunity and privilege that I will need God's special help to carry out.

I'm also missing Bob's calming influence in my life and how he was so protective of me, helping me put boundaries around my involvements. He knew how to "rein me in" when I was going too many directions.

I began wearing his wedding ring on my right hand, and inside of the wedding band is a scripture reference that I chose for him when we married almost 44 years ago. It's a promise from the Lord in Psalm 32:8~~
"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you."
Of course this is referring to God's instruction, direction, and watchful care (not mine!!)
And now wearing Bob's ring I'm reminded that the Lord offers that same attention and care to me--but also that having lived with Bob for so long, I pretty well know what kind of counsel he himself would give me. And I want to be attentive to that. Our daughter Barbie has become a bit of her dad's voice to me when I'm overdoing it now.

Interesting to note that the following verse in Psalm 32 says "Don't be like the horse or the mule . . . who must be controlled by bit and bridle . . .!!! I had to laugh when I read that since I keep telling people how much I've needed Bob to "rein me in"!!!

The next few days will be spent resting and preparing for our kids to begin arriving for summer vacation with me. David, Ann and the boys arrive Saturday, the 13th for two weeks, and Barbie, Tim, Kim, and the kids arrive on the 20th for a week. We're having a three-day family reunion at Cedar Springs in Sumas, WA and Vi, Jerry, Bart, and Anita will be joining us for that as well. That will be grand.

As soon as I figure out how to download my pictures and attach them to the blog, I will be posting quite a few.