working on the shop

LEGO TANKS

CHRISTMAS 2016

Last Pic:  Taylor, Bret, Janelle, Jim, Layne (sitting), Shelley, Cole, Drew, James (behind Drew), Arielle next to James, Wade, Stephanie, Nathan

And then there's THAT

"That" being Daddy's suit. The one he used while he lived with us. The pants are worn out. But the jacket is impeccable.  Putting on the coat was just too difficult unless the occasion was special. Like his brother's funeral. Sigh.

I poke through the pockets one last time.  A mended rip, slightly frayed hems, dry cleaner's tags. He will want me to "put my hand to the plow and not look back."

As I send it to my sister, may she remember him as being steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

Amen.

 

Huh.

Never in a million years.  I came home from a 'long' road trip...hour and a half.  It was very quiet when I stepped into the house. THAT was unusual.  When I walked downstairs only Cole and Layne were home.
Ok. Bret was "home" too, but he was sleeping off the effects of 8 hours of shift work.  The first miracle was that no one was fighting/killing their brother.  The second miracle was that both boys were reading. Not little kid reading. But actual real book reading.  Layne's was a Hardy Boy mystery. Cole's was the ancient Snow 
Treasure that every child in the 70's read from Scholastic Books.  How did that happen??  Last year "no one" could read. Could read well. Ok. No one could read.  Dispair!  Everyone went OFF "book work" and we just read. To Mom. To themselves. It was grueling.  It put us even MORE behind than we already were.  After everyone could read to the level of their schoolwork we went back to the bookwork.  Part of schoolwork was reading each day.  We kept that part.  Then ever so slowly they really started to read.  Real books.  Amazing. 

For Grandpa Reed

 Three feet of snow on the hill.

It was Christmas time my friends were all in town.......