Mother's Day Pink

For the most part, I've been avoiding the internet today.  Mother's Day is not my favorite day.  In fact, if I'm being honest with myself, I hate Mother's Day.  It holds no joy for me anymore.

Yesterday I was thinking about when I was a kid, there would always be symbolic red and white flowers for mothers and daughters to take home after the church service was over.  I found a good article explaining it for those who've never heard about it.

My mom would always take a white flower.  As a kid, I never realized how hard that must have been for her.  We'd bring our flowers home – hers white and mine red.  These days, mine would be white and I don't have anyone to give a red one to.  Holidays can be cruel when you don't qualify.

Many moons ago, I was going through a dark time in my life.  It was just one bad thing after another.  Practically every day there would be some new dark twist.  I would cry out to God to please "throw me a bone."  Just a little, tiny something to get me through.  Every time, He would.  Sometimes I didn't even get a chance to ask.  He would throw me a bone before I even asked or knew I needed one.

This year, my husband bought me a bonsai tree for Valentine's Day.  It's been a lovely challenge to keep it alive and thriving, as it's not as forgiving as some plants.  I've had to water it every day, even back when it was still winter.  It's a summer blooming plant and I was very excited to see buds appear a week ago or so.  

Today, Mother's Day, the first flower has opened.  Mother's Day, the day I hate, a beautiful pink flower opens.  A pink flower: Red + White = Pink.

Thank you, God, for throwing me a beautiful, pink bone.

Centenario

A few years ago, the church my husband and I grew up in, and eventually got married in, became a Spanish church.  But it is still affiliated with the Free Methodist Church of North America, so today they had a 100th Anniversary celebration.  The "little church on the corner" has been around for a century now.

Some of the "old church family" came back for the celebration and a tour of the interior.  I love what they've done with the sanctuary.  The pics really don't do it justice.  It's so light, bright and cheery!  I love the sheers on the windows.  They make the stained glass glow.  The seats are comfy and the A/V setup is nice.  One of the best improvements they've made is putting in a new furnace with central air.  

I'm glad they can bring the Good News of Jesus to our South Minneapolis Spanish speakers.

Fire Flower

I'm going to have to get out and see/photograph some fireworks again one of these days.  As seen in 2015.

Reunion

This past weekend we went to a family reunion.  Somehow, I became the photographer for the group photo.  I'm not quite sure how that happened.  

Techie Corner

I took a few single-shot group photos, but I was unhappy with how small individual people were.  

I didn't have any time to plan for this "photo shoot."  I made a snap decision to take some fast and dirty group segment pictures, hoping to have enough to work with to put them all together in Photoshop.

I took several hours this evening to combine 7 images, by hand (no automation), into a pano in Photoshop.  It's hard cutting people apart and sticking them back together again!  And then I had to make the whole picture look believable.  I even had a family member email me one of their phone photos of me so that I could add myself to the group.  Ha!

The image in this blog is much smaller than the full-size version, but a 33MB file isn't really blog-friendly.

Unreservedly

A few years ago, we were celebrating our anniversary with my "second mom" and her husband, who is pictured here.  I wish I'd gotten a picture of him looking at the camera and smiling, but a picture of him clearing his nasal passages will have to do.  

Slapdashery

Mom at her bridal shower.  Looks like she had a rip-roarin' good time.

Slumberously

When you're all ready to party for your birthday, but suddenly feel a nap coming on.

Festivities

Mom opening baby gifts.

Inspiringly

Remembering this lovely lady on St. Patrick's Day.  Today would have been her 111th birthday if I did my math right.

Most people look at her and see a grandma.  But I don't.  When I was a kid, I would hang out with her after church.  There was one time, I can't remember what my mom asked, but this sweet lady answered, "Just us kids."  After that, I always called her "Kid." 

Even though she's been gone many years now, thinking of The Kid always brings a smile to my face.

As seen at her birthday party on St. Patty's Day, 2005.

I went looking for her obituary because I couldn't remember how long she has been gone.  I don't even remember writing the following on her tribute page, but it pretty much sums up our relationship.

Ceremoniously

Cake always puts a smile on my face, even back when it was my second birthday.

Immemorially

More from MOA.  Wishing you a prosperous year of the Tiger!

Theatrically

 31 Days of Christmas continues.  A Christmas program from long ago.  

I'm guessing this was a dress rehearsal because one little girl still had curlers in her hair.  Some of my friends may recognize the girl in front of the American flag.

Edifyingly

Our church was small enough to have an annual All Church Camp-out at Baker Park Reserve.  We would camp Friday night and then have fun on Lake Independence on Saturday.  We sure had a lot of fun back then.

In this picture, my future husband is waving at me and his mom and brother are in the background.  As seen in 1982.

Jubilee

After some sleuthing, I have determined that this picture was taken in Junction City, KS most likely sometime between 1946 and 1955.  

I also found that Fort Riley in Junction City was home to the 1st Infantry Mechanized Division and a frequent stop of General Wainwright.  If you can see the "Eisenhower Drugs" sign behind the front tank, it was run by Dwight D Eisenhower's brother, Roy, and then Roy's widow after his death. 

I'm pretty sure my uncle took this picture because he was a photographer in Junction City for decades and this is an 8 x 10 print, which would have been a luxury back then.  There's also a possibility that his wife is on top of one of the tanks, but I can't be sure.  Purely conjecture on my part.

Unprecedentedly

According to the news, today will go down in the record books as Minnesota's earliest 3+ inches of snowfall and the 2nd largest October daily snowfall for MSP Airport in the past 140 years of recorded weather history.  

Minneapolis got 7.4 inches officially at the airport and the suburbs got up to 9 inches.  Happy 2020 – the year that anything can happen.

Looking at the weather forecast, however, it should all be gone by the weekend.   

Vitality

 It was this lovely lady's birthday today.  A few friends spread out in a socially-distanced backyard oasis made for a wonderful party.

Sleekly

 Flashback to a car show in Hastings last summer.

Divertingly

Troops watching a USO show during the Korean War.  It's most likely that not everyone watching this show made it back home alive.  Remembering those that gave all this Memorial Day. 

Scanned photo from my dad's pictures.

Anniversary

Best day ever!

Preciously

Digging in the archives tonight.  My mom looking super happy as her friends sing happy birthday to her.  She was 75 years young that day.

I have to say, though, that this picture is bittersweet.  Only one of the women pictured is still living.  But they were all lovely women of God, so I'm sure they are singing in heaven now.