This morning, after breakfast, my mother and I gave the children the option of either going with us to the nursing home to visit grandpa or staying in the motel and watching tv. They thought for a minute and decided to stay at the motel. We left them with my cell phone and instructions to behave, and off we went.

When we arrived at the nursing home, Grandpa was napping, but he didn’t seem to mind waking up to visit with us. My mother had brought a gift of small cookies in a plastic cup, and Grandpa seemed to enjoy that along with the cup of coffee I ran and got for him from the activities room.

The two hours we were there flew by quickly. I asked Grandpa questions about his “Grandpa Fox”, and he told stories of his boyhood. It seemed the stories and events were so clear in his mind, and it was a joy to get a glimpse into the past.

At lunch time we walked to the dining hall with him, said our goodbyes, and headed back toward the motel. We wanted to take lunch to Laura and Isaac, but Mom and I had different ideas of what sounded good, so we stopped at two different places for food. I was eager to get another sandwich from the “Ham Bonz” joint that I tried yesterday, and Mom was remembering her spicy chicken taco from Taco Bell. While we were at Taco Bell, Mom reminded me how much Isaac likes the double-decker taco from there, so I grabbed that for him. Then we headed to the little shopping area where the Ham Bonz shop was. Before getting the sandwich that I wanted, we went to the Ben Franklin store that has been there since my mother was young. We really enjoyed looking around there! Mom and I each bought a few things, and then we went next door to get the sandwich I wanted.

As we walked into the motel, my mother’s phone started ringing, and she guessed that it was one of the kids calling us. While she fished in her pocket for her phone, I ran down the hall to surprise the kids. I popped into the door just as my mother said, “Hello?” It was fun to see the look on Isaac’s face as he realized his phone call had been answered in person.

The kids were eager to get to the pool, so even though they hadn’t yet eaten lunch, I let them go have some pool time. We all agreed that they could eat food later after they were done swimming.

While the kids swam, my mother, her sister Chris and I sat by the pool and visited. It was fun to catch up just a bit with my dear auntie. I was able to show her some of the jewelry Laura and I have been making, and I begged her to choose some for herself and to take some for her daughter-in-law and her granddaughters.

After our visit with Aunt Chris, we decided to lay down for a little nap before doing the next thing, but before we could fall asleep we got a phone call that Uncle Loren (my mother’s youngest brother) was on his way to the motel to visit for a bit. We gladly changed our plans and had a wonderful relaxed visit with him. Toward the end of that visit we made impromptu supper plans, and we invited all the relatives we could think of to join us at the little restaurant next to our motel. Aunt Chris was able to come, Uncle Denny and Aunt Jan came over, and Uncle Loren and my mother went to the nursing home to pick up Grandpa so he could join us.

This restaurant had some very interesting things on the menu, so we had a lot of fun choosing what looked good to each of us. I chose the “pound of smelt”, since I’ve been wishing for a while now to revisit one of my favorite food memories from my childhood. Laura chose the “fried clams” since she loves interesting seafood and never gets to order anything that exotic. I teased Isaac about the “frog legs” on the menu, and then was very surprised when he actually ordered them! But I was glad, because that’s not something you can get every day! Uncle Loren ordered the frog legs too, and he and Isaac had fun with their unusual food.

At dinner I was so proud of Laura and Isaac for making conversation with their great uncles and aunts. I love my Michigan relatives dearly and want my children to know this part of their family.

Now we are back at the motel and the children are finally getting to swim again. They were chafing a bit before supper that I wouldn’t let them go swim until after the meal. How will they ever be satisfied with only two swimming sessions today???

Tomorrow we have been invited to lunch at Denny and Jan’s house. I am so tickled at this chance for all of us to spend more time together.

Our vacation is hurrying by, but I do believe we’re enjoying it as much as we can.

You can see photos in my gallery at www.iAmTheTeacher.com/gallery

As I stated in my post this morning, we enjoyed a nice breakfast and had hopes for a pleasant, relaxing day. Please allow me to report that we were able to accomplish our goals, and that we did indeed have a wonderful day.

My mother’s older sister, Christine, came to the motel room to pick up my mother so they could go visit their father. About the time they left, Laura and Isaac were ready to head to the pool, so I said goodbye to my mother and followed the pool gang. As I sat by the pool watching Laura and Isaac play, I was able to read and think and enjoy the solitude. But after a while I was feeling so sleepy that I finally declared an end to pool time. The children were reluctant to leave, but to their credit, they obeyed without complaining. We went back to the room, they changed out of their wet suits, and I told them they could watch Animal Planet on tv while I took a nap. They were happy to do that, and they woke me up at 1 pm like I asked them to.

I was still so drowsy, but I knew I didn’t want to sleep the day away, so Laura very cheerfully ran to the motel lobby to grab a cup of mocha from the fancy coffee machine there. That really helped me wake up nicely, so then we pulled ourselves together and headed out to explore, shop, and have lunch. Thanks to the very helpful man at the motel desk, we were armed with a detailed map of Traverse City.

While we were out we found Petoskey stones, a store devoted to Michigan cherries, a wonderful local BBQ/smoked-meat sandwich place, and the Army-Navy surplus store. Our final stop was to run into the local JoAnn Fabric store to look at their bead selection. This store is at least 3-4 times the size of our Bloomington JoAnn’s, so there was a lot to see that we hadn’t seen before. (I’m sure Michael will be glad to hear that we only spent $10 there. ☺ )

When we got back to the motel, the children hurried to get into their swimsuits so they could head to the pool again. My mother was just waking up from a nap, so while the children swam, she and I visited and compared stories about our day thus far.

At 5 pm we got ready to head to the nursing home to see my grandfather. My mother wanted to have supper with him there, so we were looking forward to having a nice long visit.

When we arrived, Grandpa was near the front desk in his wheelchair. I’m not sure if he was watching for us, or if he is usually out and about. Anyway, we hugged him and made sure he knew who we were. Ever since his stroke, it’s been hard for him to remember who is who, so we introduced ourselves again and tried to help him connect faces with names. During the time we were there, he did refer to “your mother”, so I think he understood the relationship between me and my mother. I don’t know if he ever really remembered Laura and Isaac, but that’s ok. He seemed interested in things they said and did, so that was enough for me.

The nursing-home staff was very cordial to us, and they seemed to go out of their way to make us feel welcome. They invited us to have our supper at a table in the activity room so that we could have a quieter, more private setting for our meal. I was a little worried about Grandpa, because he seemed very confused about us eating in a room that was not the dining room. But my mother just kept reminding him that “the person in charge” had offered that we could eat there, and that we would still be served supper. At one point I asked him if he liked the food there (referring to the nursing home), and he responded, “I don’t know. I’ve never eaten at this place before” (referring to the activity room). But then later on we had a conversation about the activity room and the fact that he hadn’t spent much time in there before. I’m hoping that perhaps our extended time in the activity room will encourage him in the future to take advantage of what is offered.

Based on e-mails I’ve read from other family members about my grandfather’s health and abilities, I felt that our visit with him was probably one of the best we could have had. He seemed alert the whole time, he seemed to hear everything we said, he ate almost all of the food he was served (and even half of the fish that Laura couldn’t eat), he did everything for himself, and he told stories from his time in the Navy. I tried to ask him questions that might encourage him to tell stories, and then I enjoyed hearing his memories. The kids kept occupied by teasing the cockatiel in a cage in that room, stringing beads, and working on jigsaw puzzles. They were really well-behaved, and I was so grateful for that. After supper there was a reading time in the activity room, and Grandpa seemed to follow along with the story completely. At various points of the story he chuckled or made an affirming sound showing his comprehension of the wartime memories being read.

Still in all, it was hard to see my grandfather as a frail old man, when I remember how capable he was before. But even in the frailty, I could see glimpses of the grandpa I remember, and I enjoyed that. He still has a sense of humor, and he still knows how to smile and laugh.

After we took a peek at his room, we said farewell. He saw us to the main door and again I saw my former grandpa, making sure the exit door closed properly and giving a little wave as we walked out.

I had a few thoughts during our visit that I want to share.
1. Even though we are often defined by our possessions, we shouldn’t let our possessions be overly important to us. My grandfather is in a small room with only a few things nearby. This is the same man who has a garage of carefully organized tools, machines and gadgets. I still remember the smell of his garage and workshop. As I stood in his bare room, I thought all of my “stuff” that I care about and defend and am selfish with. I wonder, someday, when I’m in a nursing home with none of my stuff, if I’ll wish I’d been just a bit more generous and less defensive about my things.
2. When you see a person who is old and frail, realize that they used to have a lot more dignity, and they deserve a kind word and respectful treatment. That’s hard for me, because I’m intimidated and unsure around people different from me. One of the best examples I see on a regular basis is my friend Janie who is so loving and kind, especially to her friends with Down Syndrome.

So anyway, that’s enough of the sober thoughts. We left the nursing home, took the scenic route home (thanks to my very poor sense of direction), and once we got to the motel, the children hightailed it to the pool again. But tonight they have a 10 pm bedtime. No more of that silliness of staying up until 1 am! I think they’ll sleep well tonight, after a busy day and three trips to the pool. ☺

Tomorrow we’re looking forward to another pleasant day like today. ☺ Stay tuned for another update tomorrow night.
Love, Christie

Greetings from Traverse City, Michigan. As you read in Michael’s post, the past few days have been filled with discouragement and sadness. But in the middle of that, there has still been encouragement and hope.

In some ways I can’t help but wonder if God had this trip all planned out for me as my own little retreat to recover from the sadness that He was about to send. Yesterday as we were driving, it gave me good opportunity to just sit quietly and think. And then here in the motel, I haven’t had my usual responsibilities with household duties and younger children, so again I can just stay wrapped in my thoughts and not have to “give” much of anything to anyone.

Being around my mother is theraputic for me, and having my two older children is an easy task. I miss Michael, but I’m guessing that he is enjoying his own little “quiet time” with fewer people in the house. Maybe not…but I can at least imagine.

My mother and I decided we needed a few groceries last night, so we headed out late to run our errand. We were so surprised to find that the folks here in Traverse City like to go to bed early. By 11 pm the town is dark and sleepy. We drove and drove, noticing interesting places we might like to come back to in the daylight, and finally we found a Taco Bell that still had it’s drive-thru open. Mom was hungry, so we grabbed a bite for her to eat and at the same time asked the guy there if he knew of any all-night grocery stores. He did, and he gave us good directions to one nearby. We were delighted to explore the small grocery and find the things on our list.

We got back to our room after midnight, and Laura and Isaac were still  awake watching t.v.  It took us all a while to settle down, but around 1 a.m. we did.

This morning we are having a relaxing time, enjoying the breakfast here at the motel, and thinking about what we might do today.  I’d like to do a little shopping; my mother will meet her sister and go see their father soon; and the kids can only think of the pool.  :-)  It promises to be a nice day.

Thanks for your prayers and your love.

This is the first time you have seen me post. I’m Christie’s husband, and I have sad news.

Yesterday, Christie started showing signs of having a miscarriage. We went to the emergency room last night, and spent 3 1/2 hours there to have the ER doctor say “You are not pregnant. Talk to your doctor sometime this week.”

So we went home not knowing much more than when we knew when we went.

Christie’s OB, Dr. Nord was able to see Christie today, and confirmed what the ER doctor said, she is no longer pregnant. He was able to give her clearance to travel with her mother this weekend, and to explain what had happened with this pregnancy. We feel very blessed to have Dr. Nord as Christie’s OB, he’s a very kind and godly man.

Miscarriages are, unfortunately, nothing new to the Lyons family, this makes five babies that we have lost very early in their lives. This also probably means that our pattern of having a baby every odd-numbered year will be broken - but that’s ok, maybe then next six will be born on even-numbered years.

I am going to try and catch-up on the rest I missed, and morn the loss of who would have been our eleventh child. Please pray for us as we travel this road, again.

Yesterday evening my brother called me with an offer too good to pass up.  A friend of his was invited to go salvage some floorboards from an old house scheduled for demolition today, and this friend was allowed to bring anyone else who might be interested in salvaging items from the old house.  I couldn’t think of anything we would need to grab from an old house, but I am intrigued by old houses, and I’ve never been a part of a salvage team, so it piqued my interest right away.

I called Michael and his brother Roy, and found they were both interested in this adventure as well.

We packed up a variety of tools, pry bars, hammers, wrenches, clippers, a drill, a sawsall, and whatever else seemed like it might be useful, and headed for 404 First Street in ElPaso, IL.  

When we arrived, we greeted the folks waiting there for the rest of the party to show up, and then we headed to the house to walk through.  Of course there was no power hooked up, so we had to explore by way of flashlight.  The house was simply enormous.  I kept dreaming about how wonderful it would be to have such a big house, and I felt very sad that this beauty had been allowed to deteriorate beyond repair.  We admired the woodwork, noticed odd additions and changes, wondered at the three kitchens we found, and exclaimed each time we noticed yet another room beyond the rooms we had already walked through.  We had to be careful, because the main staircase had already been removed, and various floorboards had been salvaged previously.

We spent about four hours there, helping tear up floorboards for the girl who needed them, taking little bits and pieces of things that we thought we might be able to use, grabbing a few odd things that we have no idea how we’ll use, and then carefully taking down some crown molding from the main room that I think I’d like to put in my new kitchen.  Roy was able to get some things to use in his new house when he finishes the basement, and my brother, Dave, was tickled that Michael and Roy salvaged a breaker box for him to take home to replace his fuse box.

We got home so much later than we’d anticipated, but it was such a fun excursion that none of us minded the late hour.

This morning I keep wondering about that big old house and I’m tempted to drive back out and see if it’s already torn down.  If I had nothing else to do, I’d drive the kids out there to watch the demolition.  Then again, I think it would be a sad sight to see the end of a noble structure.  Some things are better left unseen.

In just a few days I’ll be heading to Michigan for a long weekend.  My mother called me yesterday and asked if there was any way I could go with her back to her hometown of Traverse City, Michigan.  I honestly didn’t think it would work out, but the details have fallen into place, so I’m going.  We’ll take Laura and Isaac along with us, and the younger four children will stay here in Bloomington.  My sister-in-law, Mary, will care for them while Michael is at work, and then Michael will take over when he’s available.

The main reason for our trip is to visit my grandfather.  He had a stroke recently, and he’s been ailing and not quite himself since then.  We can’t help but wonder how much time he has left on this earth.

I wish my children could have known my grandfather better.  He was such an interesting, intelligent man.  One of my favorite memories is how he’d sit and strum the guitar, sometimes almost absent-mindedly, and such beautiful harmonies and melodies would wander around the room.

Despite the potentially sad overtones of the trip, I’m really looking forward to traveling with my mother and my two oldest children.  Our last family trip, with all six children, was so cumbersome, with many stops and distractions.  I have a feeling that this upcoming trip will seem so efficient in comparison!

My mother’s side of the family is especially dear to my heart.  They are gentle, kind people who are pleasant to be around.  You know how when you’re around folks from the South, you start to speak with a southern accent and call each other “Hon”?  Well, when I’m around my mother’s siblings, I find that I smile more, speak more softly, and consider my words just a bit before they come out of my mouth.  Maybe I should visit them more often!

Hopefully I can take the laptop along with me and keep a trip journal here on the blog.  That would be fun to do again.

Oh, one more thing, completely unrelated!  I have a kitchen ceiling now!!!  Michael’s oldest brother, Roy, has spent two days here (Saturday and Monday) helping push the kitchen project closer to the finish line.  Roy is such a hard worker, and it seems he never stops!  Thanks to Roy, we now have trim around all the doors and one of the windows, and the ceiling is almost completely drywalled.  Michael works hard, alongside Roy, and then he collapses when Roy drives away.  For that matter, we all do!  But we’re always so tickled with the progress.  As the children watched the work today, they frequently exclaimed at the wonder of a ceiling covering the exposed rafters.  The funniest comment of the day was when Luke said he was worried the screws wouldn’t hold the drywall and it might fall on his head.   Luke always seems to be the cautious one.  He’s a boy after my own heart sometimes.

Last night I couldn’t believe what I’d just read in my e-mail. My own mother, the most conservative person in the whole extended family, was quite serious. She was planning to get her ears pierced, and she was asking if I would like to go with her.

I can’t explain the strange feelings that swirled around. Why did it feel so funny? It certainly isn’t because I think ear-piercing is a bad idea. I have three holes in each ear, and I eagerly encouraged Laura to get her ears pierced last year. So why shouldn’t my mother get her ears pierced? I don’t know. It just seemed…strange.

But the invitation to go and have a girls’ night out was too enticing to pass up, so I accepted.

All day today I looked forward to our evening with mixed emotions. Was she sure this is what she wanted? Was she really ready for this? Was she mentally prepared? Why now???

We were busy all day running errands. Michael was off work, so it was a good time to catch up on the things that have been piling up this week. Finally we got home, unloaded groceries, and settled down for a bit. I still couldn’t believe my own mother was going to do such a radical thing. Piercing her ears! What next?

I vividly remember when I was 14 begging my parents to let me pierce my ears. My mother just didn’t see the point. She thought that only worldly girls did such things. They wore big earrings and they chewed gum loudly. I assured her that I would wear small, sensible earrings, and that it would be “classy” rather than “gaudy”. She stalled. I begged.

Shortly after my fifteenth birthday I again entreated my parents to please consider seriously my request to get my ears pierced. So they considered it. They talked about it and then reported back to me that they had decided that they would give their blessing to my idea…after my sixteenth birthday. I still remember thinking that a whole YEAR needed to pass before their promise could be claimed. I thought it was so far away, but I wasn’t going to argue, because even at the tender age of 15, I knew that it was better to have eventual permission than no permission at all.

The year passed. I got my ears pierced. I loved it. Two years later, in college, I asked a friend to add a second hole to each side. Then three years later I went to Walmart and asked the lady in the jewelry department to add a third piercing in each ear. I knew my mother would find it shocking, so I didn’t tell her. I wore three earrings in each ear for a whole week before finally pointing it out to her. My argument to her unapproving expression was that she hadn’t even noticed, so it couldn’t be that bad!

Time goes by. Life becomes more interesting and full every year, and I often leave some earring holes empty. Every now and then I rummage through my jewelry drawer and find enough small earrings to bejewel myself again. In time some of them disappear and before long I have an odd assortment of earrings still hangin’ in there.

A year or so ago I became enamored with “ear cuffs”, and I bought a couple of them. They were fun, and they garnered some comments from people, but even those take time and attention, so they sit in my jewelry box more often than not.

Tonight, I sat quietly and watched while my mother was perched on the stool behind the counter at Merle Norman. The technician carefully explained all the details, and my mother examined the blue dots on hear earlobes. Finally, after two snaps of the earring gun, the deed was done. She didn’t look so strange after all. She looked proud of her accomplishment. She really did it.

On the way home my dad called to check in with Mom and she told him that she and I were just heading home from the mall and that she had finally gotten her ears pierced. As they chatted and laughed together, I had to smile at my mother who, after all these years, still surprises me. And then I realized that I hope I can keep my children guessing for just as long as my mother has. She’s a special lady. I love you, Mom!