Always Get Up

Hello,
I'm sorry I haven't written since November.  We are well.
Nothing out of the ordinary going on.

Thanksgiving was small. No children were able to come home.
Christmas was quiet.  Emma and James came to visit.

Shelby and Dottie went to Omaha after Christmas so Katie and I jumped in the car and drove over there to see Matthew, Melinda and their boys and to see Shelby and Dottie.

We saved on shipping.  :o)

I couldn't decide on a picture for my Christmas card so I didn't send one.
I made six or seven samples and could not make a decision.

I have been working with an elderly woman weekly.
She is very sweet.  Her husband goes to meet friends for lunch and I keep her company.
She misses her husband terribly and I try to make the time go by quickly for her.
I like this "job" a lot, it is difficult but I love being able to help.

I really do like being helpful.

I worked a special ed job for a week and loved it.
Anything I can do to help....I love.

I am not taking many outside recess jobs.... Only very short stints...at schools with 'law and order'.

I saw this little video on Will Smith's Instagram and I could relate.

Somebody asked me the other day How did I define Love? I didn’t have a good answer. I thought about it a little... Here’s my first attempt. :-)  

Here are some new pictures of the grandbabies

This reminds me of a 1950's baby photo.  I think there is a picture of my hubby that looks like this....same pose that's for sure.

She is perfection

Smiling at mommy.

Good shot of her teeth. 

I've honestly never seen little boys love a baby as much as these guys!

They were tender and adoring.  

Dottie, 7 mo old.

Katie and I visited Emma and James and Lorelei in Columbia in November.

Pretty kneelers in a old church in Fulton Mo.

Happy Lorelei

Part of the family at part of the Berlin Wall.

Winston Churchill museum.

Some thoughts for the new year.....

I will try to post more often.

Thank you for reading and asking how we are!

Love you. Mean it.

Donna Elsie

How it's done.

So much good in this apology.
Grace, humor, respect.

May it last longer than four minutes.

Four kisses when you wake....

Four candles on your cake....

Today is Zeek's birthday.  I watched the boys while Melinda was at the hospital.  That was the fall Emma was diagnosed with epilepsy.  I was thankful to be with Emma most of October, be there for Matthew and Melinda and then scoot back to Chicago....

It was one of those times in life....

when the delight of new birth and joy was mixed right in with fear and illness.

It happens this way a lot doesn't it?

Love you one and all as you navigate your lovely,  

bewildering, frightening, beautiful, life.

Hope is right around the corner.

Love

Donna

A helmet helps.

It was all yellow.

This year the leaves turned brown and dropped off the trees.

Isn't that weird?  I can only guess it is because of all the rain.

So there was not big flash of color in our yard.

The pine trees are dying too, a fugus, I have heard.

But the colors, they are here and there.  Bright reds and earnest oranges.

And I notice them as if I am playing a game of  hide and seek.

I won't compare and be sad.

I will be thankful....

and remember....

Encourage one another,

Donna

A Cat Hat.

two thousand thirteen

Sometimes all it takes is a cat hat.

I get lost in my old photos.

I love them.

Donna

All of us.

We went to Omaha because Patrick and Shelby were coming to town with Dottie.

It was wonderful that all of the Bouchers could be together....

and that we could all be there to see Dottie baptized!

peek

The proud, loving parents.

Lorelei running in circles with the boys.  She is quite shy but it is clear she adores her cousins.

Dottie's hair is not this red.  The camera and the restaurant light made her hair much redder.

She is a happy girl and so very loved.

“Making the decision to have a child - it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body. ”  ~Elizabeth Stone

Hugs and kisses

Donna

I remembered my camera :o)

Happy October!

Hi!  I wanted to share some fun pictures from last weekend's wedding!

My niece Hillary was married to her long time love Michael over the weekend in Indiana.

Patrick, Katie and I drove down and picked up Uncle Paulie at the airport.

Emma and James drove in from Missouri.

It was a beautiful wedding with glorious music, a beautiful couple, and loads of family and friends.

I have tried for an hour to upload a few videos and they have not worked.  

Just imagine my niece Ellie and her husband singing The Prayer.

It was beautiful, emotional and powerful.

I liked Ellie and Stevens just as well....

The video was really cute.  With both Hillary and Michael!

But here is the bride as she passed by :o)

The newlyweds :o)

*****

Off on another adventure this weekend!

Yikes!

I'll fill you in on the flip side!

Love Wins,

Donna