Cardinal Surprise!

 Millennia, special for me.  Ok, maybe not the mall itself, but a trip to the windows at Anthropologie are always a special treat for me.

I love the creative windows, but I love the designer more.

Roger tried to take me out to Millennia once a month to see if the windows had changed. Sometimes it grew to once a quarter.

It helped that there was a Cheesecake Factory and a Brio just steps away.
I always tried to see that he got to eat before I got to browse. Ah - just like a baby, it kept him quite content - and patient!  Thank goodness he loved the seating and the atmosphere at this particular mall.  And he would make trips to the car with lots of bags and boxes, when needed.
And he let me enjoy that creative place called Anthropologies for as long as I liked.

I loved it when Karin took me to the mall this year, braving all of that traffic. She is so like her daddy, even with the certain self imposed boundaries.  Stuff had to not overflow the bag and there would be no intermediate trips to the car and back.

But she carried the bag! She waited patiently, too!


I wonder if I fed her?  I did teach her the 'back way' so she could navigate without the horrible traffic!  Roger always knew the back ways to everything!

Roger's Lesson:  Navigating the traffic to get to the mall is just a part of what you do at Christmas. He would tell the girls not to forget to give mama her creative breaks - because it keeps her calm.  And calm makes for a more merry Christmas - and this is good! When Jacob can drive, he can take over, but must remember to tote the packages. It's what you do for the ladies. 

Roger was all about seeing a need and assisting where he could. I hope that I never took that for granted. I was a pretty fortunate girl.

I was blessed too, because he took me to see my favorite windows. It is no random thing that these windows are my favorites, and the only ones I make the trip to see.

When there is someone special in your life, you want to keep up, and even in small ways, encourage.

I think that it is no accident that God knew that there was one young girl, one very special talent, one very creative store, and some very empty windows that needed a very special message.   Those red cardinals just made me forget all of the craziness of getting to the mall.  Those red cardinals made me think - Roger is not all that far away. His memory is still strong as is our bond.  It transcends time and space and it will last for all of eternity.

You didn't even know it, but thank you for a very special Christmas gift, Liz!

Embellish but Keep the Focus!

The organizational set up did not happen until around December 15, but it was still a while before Christmas.

I've heard it said on more than one occasion that God allows you opportunities and experiences along life's highway that will prepare you for other things later.

I guess it is much like learning to read or to do math.

For me, it is called "embellishment."

Way back in the day, I spent my first Christmas at the downtown Orlando Sear store doing gift wrap. Well, among other things, but I recall doing a lot of gift wrap.  That was back in the day where you could buy something in a department store and they would wrap your gift all pretty for free or for a very nominal price.  Wow - things were so simple back then - there was none of this stuff to store!

Today we have Hobby Lobby. This place comes stocked with the most wonderful papers, ribbons, and other embellishments. I love it!

We have this system. I don't really like to wrap, but Karin does, so I taught her how to wrap a proper box - complete with firmly creased corners and edges, and double stick tape!  Station one - she wraps.   Actually, she is station two.   Kristin is station one. She purchases.  That involves ordering online and having things delivered to her doorstep.

I know - untold amounts of recycling!

Kristin has this spreadsheet system that we sometimes understand and sometimes find a mystery.  It is like little elves sneaking around. Lots of fun, lots to trip over in the days before Christmas Day.

Karin wraps, then sends nicely sticky-note adorned packages to my house - Station three.  I embellish. Sometimes it gets totally over the top and out of hand.

We also color code our packages. This way we only have to write TO EMILY - the package color tells who it is from. Oh so efficient!

Station four is the tree - wherever it might be.

The process was more efficient this year than it has been in years past, but I am absolutely certain that Roger would have been shaking his head and saying that he would rather have dinner than wonderfully wrapped and embellished packages.

Roger's Lesson:  The tree is up, the gifts have been purchased, they are wrapped and embellished just like you desire.  Now, please, oh please...remember to feed me! Food is necessary for life!  Food for the should is even more necessary, so after dinner, let's take a look at JLTV! 

Oh Roger! We won't forget the reason for Christmas. This year our white and crystal tree filled with angels will be key to the memories of the goodness of God to us in this past year.  Of course we would prefer that you be here with us, but in many ways, your presence will forever be here.

We believe that God's ways are perfect, even though we can't see that clearly at the moment.  I think we will always enjoy doing the things you did, celebrating like you celebrated - and looking forward to that glorious day when we will all be together again.

Christmas might not be the same in some ways, but Christmas will always be about Jesus and for that, we are forever grateful.

Penny Stuff

 To be sure, there is still a bit of apprehension whenever I head back to the Magic Kingdom with the family. It may always be that way. I hope not.

I never fail to have a good time with the family though, so our little trek out to the MK once again turned out to be quite fun.

We enjoyed a few rides and the kids climbed that big tree with the tree house. We enjoyed Pirates and even turned the corner while the parade was going on, and found a practically empty Pecos Bill cafe.  Wow - that was one of the places we discovered with Roger around his birthday.  So, that was a little interesting with the memories and all.

It is always an interesting thing the way we are apprehensive, then sad, and then end up laughing.  I know he would want it no other way.

We were in line for ordering, placed the order and moved forward, then Jim asked me if I realized what I had stepped over.  He bent over and picked up a shiny shield penny.

Oh, the little things. It brought a big smile and made us stop and say 'thanks' - for that little shield penny is what we call 'a sign' that God is in control, and Roger is fully alive - and that we are doing a satisfactory, if not good, job of continuing to "live."

Yes, Roger loved the Magic Kingdom and I hope we always manage to keep our passes so we can pop in and out at a moment's notice. I'm pretty thankful for that tradition that he started years ago - and I'll always remember our first date - the first of many - out in the park.

Roger's Lesson:  "And I repeat, don't give up the things we always loved doing together."

I know that is enough said. There is not a time we are out there that we don't re-live wonderful memories. I am happy to say "as it should be."  I hope other families can say the same about time spent with their loved ones, and if it is not so fun, that they will work to change that.

People are so much better than stuff.

MK Shield Penny! 

Throw Back - Webster

 I love getting photos of Roger in my email.

These candids crack me up. This was during the 'victory party' for his man Dan, way back in .....late 80's early 90s.   This was his first run for Florida House.

He was running against a long term incumbent names Swanson. A good guy. The butterfly man.

The race was a long shot and I don't even remember much of a Swanson campaign.

Roger loved politics and especially loved

working to get Dan elected.  (AKA - Danny from Pine Hills)

We were all just regular old people and Dan was just doing what he felt that God was leading him to do. We were all pretty much clueless too. Talk about a grass roots campaign. No money, no idea how to run a campaign. Just a God-given vision and  a willingness to work.

Back in the day, nothing was "streaming" - everything came in on a small tv or on the radio...and Roger had SOME RADIO!

If he had not been at the party, he would have been doing the same thing at home....listening to the returns.

Of course, we know the outcome. We know that Dan won and that it was the beginning of a long career of service to his constituents.

These photos remind me of how Roger stuck with someone if he truly believed in their efforts and their vision.

It also reminds me of what good friendships are all about.

Roger's Lesson:  Stick with good people. Help where you can, and always work to make things better.

Yes - and Dan still does!

Brilliant!

It was one of those days in December 2014 that seemed to be rare. It was cold.

I walked out to do those ordinary things of life - take out the recycling and trash.

Then I saw it - the pink reflection on the tree trunks. I turned to the west and saw the most brilliant sunset that I had seen in a long long time.

It was just what I needed that afternoon. It had just been one of those days. Let's call it low key. Sad.


Then, all of a sudden, all it took was a breath of brisk air and becoming aware of the color around me.

It just made me think of God and all of His Glory.  Those clouds were so unusual. And they pointed up. Clouds generally float about on a horizontal plane.

But not this day.
These clouds made me stop and reflect on life. On our life together. On the way that God allowed our paths to cross and for our hearts to fall in love. On the way He guided us to this place to build our home and our family. On the way Roger so enjoyed sitting in the swing and watching the sun set.

And in moments, the sky was quiet and serene and darkness came upon the sky.

But for a few moments, I was able to stand in awe of God's creation for that moment in time.
And it changed the course of my day.

Roger's Lesson:   Don't stay inside too long. You'll miss too much. Look around, God speaks in the most remarkable ways. 

Yes - I'll keep singing His praises. His brilliance is all around me. He's getting me through, day by day.

Oob-what?

 A simple trip to the store.

Well, a trip to Publix with Emily is never simple, nor without hilarity.

She was telling me about science and this stuff we just had to make. She insisted that she knew the recipe and that it would be 'just great.'

It had something to do with Dr. Seuss. It is called Oob-leck.

So we headed to the store for Corn Starch - ONLY Corn Starch.

Somehow we passed this basket of junk juice. Well, I call it that. Kristin probably does as well.

"Ohhhhh, Juci!  This is mine and Jacob's FAVORITE drink, so can't we just get some"

"Hmm - I am pretty sure that mom would not think that is a good idea."

"Oh, but Juci, did you know that RoRo would always buy it. He would think it was a good idea, so I think you should get it because he would - you want to do what RoRo would do, don't you?"

Heart Melt.

Roger's Lesson:  Redeem the time.  Allen's Ice Cream was not always the healthiest thing for them either, but it was fun and it did taste good.  And it left them with good memories.

I guess that is enough said.

Positively Wonderful

Merry Christmas!  It started out like most other mornings, quiet - very quiet.

This one was no ordinary morning though. It was Christmas! I left the twinkling lights on last night just so that I could awaken to the magical moments of the day. I have always loved those quiet few moments before the day gets crazy.

It has been years since we have had little ones waking us up early to see what was in all of those packages, so I was accustomed to sleeping until at least 6 AM.

First up, just thanking God for His remarkable Gift. We would not even be stopping to celebrate this time of year if not for the birth of a baby who changed the course of history. HIS-story.  My love for history grew deeper when I finally connected the dots and began to look at all that takes place on this earth as His-story.  God is central to it all - all you have to do is look in order to find Him.  So, early this morning I thanked God that I found Him early in my life and that the people He placed in my path have assisted in my growing closer to and having a deeper walk with Him.  Nothing else about this day was as important  - I think we call it "The Reason for the Season."   Absolutely true.

Food for the soul - then for the body. Those little pups rolled up in blankets did the trick. That and some warm brie with berries. Let's not forget the sparkling juice.  Memories of Christmases past.

This year we decided to do the 'progressive Christmas." So many families spend the day hopping in and out of the car, making the rounds to visit relatives. We have been blessed to have everyone close by for so many years. It is quite the unusual thing for families this year. I thought about so many friends who have some of their children home for Christmas, and others far away - if not overseas. I thought of kids that I have taught over the years who have their own young families, yet still long to be home with those 'grand' parents for this special time of year. Sometimes it just does not work out because work schedules, logistics, and even finances don't allow for it - but the heart still keeps everyone close.  I thought about people, often those much older than myself, who have lost a spouse this year and I thought about how hard it must be when you have shared a life for 60+ years with someone.  The sense of loss can be overwhelming if you allow it to take over you.

We decided to focus on that joyful Christmas that Roger must be having rather than on our loss.  That eternal hope.  Yes, because of Jesus, we were able to make it!

First stop - Kristin's.  Roger always manned the trash bag. His idea, not ours.  I don't recall a time when we ever had piles of paper all over the floor.  Of course, I also know why.

It was not only because it was a fire hazard.  It was mostly because of our first Christmas together - we were engaged at that point and we had this grand Christmas at my (parent's) house. He had come in with gifts for all and joined in with the craziness that was our home.
He was dismayed at then end of it all when he discovered that a certain gift was missing. It was a pair of white calfskin gloves. Clearly expensive, and missing.  He realized that they likely went out with the trash somewhere between his home and mine, but never found that precious gift that he selected especially for me.

I guess that was the when he decided that things could be better done differently in the midst of "gifting chaos."   It was just too easy for something of value to become lost.

So, for as long as I can remember, present opening was done in a more orderly fashion in our home. Oh, there was a lot of present opening going on, but instead of everyone tearing into everything in a wild frenzy, we stopped to enjoy what each other received. And then promptly eliminated excess paper before something valuable was buried beneath it.  It sounds kind of boring when writing about it, yet is never was boring!

Yes, we had to figure out how we were going to get through this activity, and that job fell to Jacob. I have to admit, that he rose to the occasion and came up with a very creative solution. He was able to combine his love for sports with his need to manage excess paper. Key to the paper dunk - roll it up tight!

What a delightful time we had at stop one (Kristin's) and stop two (Karin's)  - and all paper was contained and in the recycle bin before we knew it.

Off to stop number three. First up, family game time. I don't know the name of it, but it was some form of charades. Emily is finally old enough to participate with the big folks and she can figure out most of the words now.  Of course, the no talking part is still hard for her.  It was a fun time and who ever won, oh, that never matters!

Since we only had to travel around the block to visit all the homes, some of the cuties never got out of their Christmas jammies! Talk about a relaxing day!  Karin even put Kellen in his jammies and left him home to get caught up on his napping before coming over.  Iron, on the other hand, appears to have the Underwood gene. He has the ability to stretch out and sleep anywhere and under any conditions.

We enjoyed opening a few more gifts and of course mom's favorite activity....the stockings.  It's a tradition that goes way back to Christmases past.  I think everyone is pretty well exhausted by the time 'stocking time' rolls around, but somehow we get our second wind. Hopefully the 2014 ornaments - red cardinals - will forever be a reminder of God's faithfulness during this year.  It has been pointed out many times this year that seeing a cardinal is a reminder that a loved one who is now resting with Jesus is still with us in many ways. I can not remember seeing as many cardinals in the course of a year as I have this year. It has been a pretty remarkable thing, and I give credit to The Comforter, for it is God's promise that He would never leave us, nor forsake up. He has not, and the blessing of praying friends has been a gift beyond belief.

As the quiet of the evening came upon me, after everyone headed back to their homes, I stopped for a cup of Twinings Christmas Tea - in Roger's favorite cup.

It was not until this moment that I realized that I had placed one of his cups on top of the armor which still holds some of our precious memories of him.

For some reason, he has collected Dunkin Donuts Christmas cups for years.  I faithfully stored them for him, because after all, he collected precious few things.

And in this moment I realized

Roger's Lesson:  "You never know when you will need them" - the cups have a message you need to remember. And it is not about coffee. 

I have been looking at these cups all month and have tried to live it's message, but never realized that I was looking at the message all month. JOY - years ago there was a message that said it meant "Jesus Others You" - in other words - prioritize your life in that order.  I wonder if that is why Roger collected those cups.

Indeed, I have enjoyed doing for others this season, and I would like to think that it is a habit, but I don't really know. I do know that when I stay busy doing for and with others and not on dwelling on myself or my loss, I have a much more successful day.

I also know that Joy, or happiness, is a choice. It is a personal choice. It is not something that someone can do for me, or give me.  Much like the gift of salvation, it is something I choose to accept.  Unlike salvation, which lasts for eternity, joy is something I have to choose every day, if not every moment of my life.

Yes, life is different now. Christmas is different now. Jim surprised us with a 'Roger moment' which will forever bless my heart. We kept a lot of traditions because we knew he loved them. Things may change in the future, and then again, some things may not.

But, we made it through this rather large milestone and we did it joyfully. We did it because we have each other - the family that is and always will be a part of Roger. It blesses our hearts so much to know that he was so loved by so many people. He has shown us a lot this year, but I know there is so much more to learn.

I know this - God places special people in our lives for a very special purpose. We learn from one another and we can build one another up or tear them down. We can bring joy or we can be a stress. All of these things are choices that we can control.

So look  around for those positive people in your life - learn from them - and become one.

Thanks, Roger, for allowing Christ in you to teach us so many wonderful things.
It has indeed been a joyful day.