Rose-Colored Fall Glasses

Ladies, you can identify with this. How come when we come out of church and shop in a grocery store while we're looking our finest... we never run into people we know? But when my hair's pulled back and I'm in sweats or T-shirt, I run into all kinds of people?! 

It's Ladies' Murphy's Law.

Tonight I was excited that after I had my hair appointment with just a roots touch-up but prize-winning hair style, I was lucky enough to run into a friend on the way out of the salon and one at the gas station. I just said, "Tell your friends I had great hair!"

And I'm sure I did.

But then, after running a few errands on my way home in HOPES of running into someone I knew, I encountered some unusual fall colors. The sunset was awesome, but my destination to the east was showing incredible and unique "October is Pink Month" colors.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say "rose-colored glasses" were a real thing. I detoured into the parking lot of a golf course and got these shots...

Facing the sunset in the west to start with..

And now facing east!

So amazing! All I know it it's a reminder to Think Pink and support those with breast cancer – or any type of cancer – this month and always. Thank you!

Lucky Are We

Feeling fortunate as we end the week. A full but good Thursday and Friday.

After work, our Marketing Department got to have a little gathering at SentryWorld to celebrate 100% by our team in the recent United Way campaign. It looked like a gorgeous fall day to be out golfing. Unfortunately, the course is closed for the season. And double-unfortunately, I didn't have my clubs in the car anyway.

I was lucky, though, when it came to door prizes. Keeping my winning streak alive and got my name drawn. I picked out a little travel fan since I need "white noise" in order to sleep and I have a big trip coming up.

From there, I headed to Assumption High School for the volleyball "Pink Out" night to raise money for a 9-year-old boy named Braxton. He inspired us all to meet diversity head on and still smile.

Since the Volley for a Cause covered any type of cancer, I put my friend Jeannie's name on one ribbon (Praying for you, girl!!).

And my cousin Jeff's name on another. He just died of cancer and was laid to rest in northern Minnesota today. 

There was a lot of support and a great crowd. And opportunities to "donate" through bake sale purchases and raffle baskets.

Guess who won another basket? Yup, this lucky girl! Another one I can take up to the benefit.

And to cap off our luck, we got to see the glorious Northern Lights again from our front yard. It went from pink and green to definite red and green tones. Guessing it's a sign I should watch some Hallmark Christmas movies this weekend!

Today, I was lucky to have a half day off. Mainly because this tree outside my office window was coming down – not sure why other than it's ugly – and there was going to be a lot of noise.

Here is the tree removal tree-oh figuring out the lift situation.

Good neighbor Mike went up the lift since he is the best chain-sawer. And apparently isn't afraid of heights.

Notice he is safely strapped into the bucket.

Just too high for me!

Jim and other helper would pile up limbs as they fell. They had a good system so that no one got hurt.

I was concerned at this stage though. I came outside and hoped they measured correctly so the final trunk wouldn't fall and hit hubby.

Timber!!

Whew! Lucky! Why would I doubt them?! Thanks for all the help and hard work, guys! Glad I could celebrate with an hour-long deep-tissue massage this afternoon. Hey, it was previously planned before I knew anything about sweating lumberjacks in the front yard.

This eveing, we headed to the Homecoming football game. We lost by a ton to Auburndale. But there was a great halftime show with all the bands and even choir members leading grade school kids in some ribbon dancing to Jimmy Buffet's Cheeseburger in Paradise. Fun.

Hoping our luck continues as we head into Saturday with a cross country meet and, you guessed it, a golf scramble! I'll keep you posted.

Have fun this weekend and appreciate your good fortune!

October Hump Day Headlines

Wicked Mother Nature

Rarely – as a landlocked girl in the Midwest – do tropical storms or hurricanes impact my life. Helene changed that a bit. 

First of all, super grateful Carter and Mamie live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, now and not North Carolina. That would have been overly stressful and maybe devastating. Secondly, we just had our 25 annual sisters' weekend a year ago in the Asheville area. And we visited the Biltmore estate! How devastating for them and the many, many shops and restaurants we patronized. Feel so bad for them!

Fall Sports

Oh gosh, I'm still trying to keep pace with fall sports. Last night I got to shoot pictures of the Royals middle school football team in action. Which took me to about an 11 p.m. bedtime after uploading (so I chose sleep over blogging). It was entertaining because just like when Carter was a shorter dude in middle school, there's such a variety of sizes at that age. See the very petite quarterback taking a snap from the super-sized (for middle school) center! Crazy. Our Royals lost but they were pretty aggressive and fun to watch!

It's October!

I'm crushed that my Twins were eliminated from the playoffs at the last minute! So, naturally, I'll be a good Wisconsin citizen and send my positive vibes to the Brewers. Based on my co-workers and friends attitude today, I gotta send mega-good vibes. I just checked and they are tied with the Mets tonight after a loss last night. I don't want to say anything to jinx them. So I'll just say go Brew Crew! NOW!

Cancer Sucks

It's true. Cancer is so non-discerning. It doesn't matter if you're old or young. It doesn't matter if you're the friendliest business owner in the community – like our friend D we lost this week – or a mother of 3 – like our friend J who has it everywhere after so many clean scans. We send prayers and hugs to all of you!

Pretty sure I should I should wrap up my blog before any other sad thoughts present themselves. As always, hug your loved ones and be careful out there!

Honoring the Memories

This sounds pretty sad, but this has been the weekend of honoring those we've lost.

Back in the day – as when we were working in Iola – we'd celebrate the opening weekend of "The Harbor" for two reasons. One, is that we could meet outside of work on the deck overlooking the harbor in Waupaca and welcome spring. And two, it often coincided with our co-worker Dupey's birthday.

Neither one of us has worked there in nearly 10 years. But last night a group of former co-workers met and dined and raised a glass to Tom (aka Dupey) for what would have been his 60th birthday – if he hadn't been taken away from us due to cancer.

We had a nice evening catching up, but it's still always a bit solemn when we remember why we were gathering in the first place. Obviously a good reminder to appreciate what we have in our lives – even if it's not perfect health. We're here, above ground, where else would we rather be?

Today was a bit tougher to take. We went to the visitation for the granddaughter and great-niece of good friends of ours. This beautiful girl – just a junior in high school – died last weekend in a single-car accident on, of all days, prom day.

I'm so sorry for Lucy, her family, her spring softball team (she was #5) and all the students in the small community of Pittsville. I would say Jim and I got through the "waiting line" OK until we talked to her parents and realized we would be equally devastated if something happened to any of our boys!

What a wake-up call for those of us taking life as is for granted. Obviously, I haven't been lately due to my sister's and mother's traumatic incidents and hospitalizations. 

But while we're grateful for tiny steps of improvement, all we can think is thank you, God, and please help our other friends and family. 

P.S. Thank you and amen! 

Giving Spirit

I've been in the giving spirit lately. Must be a holdover from Christmas! So I whipped together this blanket for my work friend's mom, whose undergoing chemo right now.

One of my Recliner Blankets (aka large lap blankets). Love, love, love the colors. I hated to give it away. But she was thrilled to be on the receiving end and hopefully it keeps her warm after her treatments.

I also whipped together this baby blanket for a fellow Vikings fan. I love, love, love the colors on this one, too. NATURALLY!!

I haven't tied up the loose ends yet. But it should look fine. For those of us into that sort of thing.

And last but not least, I whipped this together today...

My boss is taking a new position in the company and won't be my fearless leader anymore. So I made a trifle with his favorite flavor – butterscotch! – that we can enjoy tomorrow on what's an almost weekly Trifle Tuesday! And those butterscotch flakes on top? That's me grating little butterscotch chips. (And trying not to hurt myself.) Oh I am nothing if not putzy when it comes to my trifles.

Actually I've made one similar to this before. I use my Hornet's Nest Cake as the bottom and middle layers topped with butterscotch pudding. Oh man, I hope it tastes as good as it sounds.

It's fun to give, isn't it?

Prayer Lines

When I saw the streaks of light in the sky on my way home from work I was thinking they must be prayer lines. I know a lot of people around here are sending up prayers today for a special boy, er young man, and hopefully God was not only listening but answering.

Our friends whose son was diagnosed with cancer his freshman year of college is still battling it 3 years later. During this time, there have been many moments of rejoicing – hearing "cancer-free" – and high hopes it would stay that way.

But it just hasn't.

Even after a stem cell transplant that seemed to work. It didn't hold that success status long enough.

So today was a new beginning. A new chance. A new re-birthday.

We pray.

Cale and Max (photo courtesy momma Michelle)

Cale's older brother Max (23) donated his bone marrow today and it was transferred and transplanted. Our prayers that the transfer procedure itself would be successful appear to have been answered. But our prayers for the actual impact to be successful are floating in the clouds somewhere. 

The waiting game starts again and I just can't fathom how much patience, tolerance, trust, and faith that takes. All we can do is pray that God gives them that. And gives them the answer we all want.

Bless you, Cale, our super hero. You have surmounted more obstacles in your short life than all of us combined. I hope when you get to the top of this mountain, you can dance and sing songs of thanksgiving.

We all want that for you. We're all keeping those prayers lines busy so you get it.

#calestrong

Friday Focal Points

My mind has been out in the weeds this week like this old car blooming with the wildflowers north of Rapids. My schedule remains busy with photo shoots and all those golf outings (sorry, nor sorry). And today I needed to squeeze in a senior session and the remains of another.

All before the rain.

Mission accomplished! 

Got one full session done and finished another one that just needed sunflower pictures. About the time I got home, it was starting to rain down in Necedah, where our Royals started their football season tonight. They called the game just before halftime and we'll take the W since we had a 35-0 lead. Yay, Royals.

The two young ladies I was photographing tonight are also winners. One is coming up on 10 years cancer-free after beating childhood leukemia. The other suffers from Friedreich Ataxia, which attacks the nervous system and requires wheelchair use. Such horrible diseases but both of these girls smiled and laughed. 

They laughed!

How inspiring. May your focal point this Friday and every day be to find the blessings – no matter how small – that can make you smile and even laugh. Here's their pictures for inspiration!

Keep fighting, girls. And shining. I count it a blessing to know you.

Have a good weekend, everyone! 

Remembering Thou Art Great

Sometimes, when we remember to look up, we see amazing things. For example, when we stayed at a historic type hotel recently, this was the what the chandelier looked like from below. In this case, a circle of light. Sometimes we see, or feel rather, a circle of love. A circle of friends. A circle of strength.

We look up and see God.

On Sunday when my sister and I were in church, the hymn How Great Thou Art was played. I turned to her and said I always cry at this song because I think of Grandma Hedberg and our dad. We sang it at her funeral and it was the first time I saw Dad cry. Rayna said she cries too because this was played at her husband Paul's funeral this spring as well. 

Even though the song should make us rejoice that our loved ones are reunited with God – "then sings my soul" –  it's still a tear jerker. But oh so powerful and a good reminder that His love surrounds us at all times – even in death, anger, and sorrow.

It's been an emotional week. A friend's 20-year-old son died unexpectedly from a brain aneurysm. Only 20! An Eagle Scout and volunteer firefighter going to school to be a police officer. Why him, God? His whole life ahead of him. Why him and why now?

The worst part about professing to have a strong faith is accepting God's will without understanding it sometimes. Well, a LOT of times. All we can do then is pray that He'll encircle the grieving brother and parents with love and support. And do our part to help that effort too.

On a positive note, I've seen God work miracles too. In recent days, I've welcomed a new great-nephew and new great-niece to my life. And I've seen God's healing touch work to heal a family member in pain, and chase away evil cancer cells in a friend's college-age son – and a girl I took senior photos of tonight!

When I first met Hannah, about 12 years ago, my nephew Colin had a sticker on this car to support her fight with leukemia. 

Despite her battles, she was smiling even then.

And tonight, a few weeks after another "cancer free" report, she was smiling again during our senior photo shoot. What a miracle and blessing to be a part of it. 

Looking up, I say, "That was you, God." How great Thou art, indeed.

May you all find the circle of light, love, and strength you need today!

Looking Forward

As much as I'd like to think this is white sand on some beach during spring break week, it's definitely not.  It's also definitely not a good sign for spring sports when you can write out the countdown in snow.

Now granted, it did melt off the deck by the time baseball practice started this afternoon. However, it was at it again on my way home from dinner tonight. Just go away, Old Man Winter!

Still, we'll look forward to the start of athletic activity next week. And control what we can control, right?

Had a nice dinner with some girlfriends that I think of as my old Assumption parent / campfire gang. We needed a night out. We needed a distraction from the whirlwind of life that swirls around us and sucks our energy. Especially the heavy stuff like having a child fighting cancer or on the positive side, getting ready for a child's wedding. 

We keep looking forward and hope for the best. No, not just hope. We pray for the best – or the strength to cope if it's not the best. Prayers hold amazing power.

So do hugs from girlfriends. 

Then don't necessarily melt away the snow, but they can melt away some of our fear and heartache. Feeling so blessed!

Sticking to It

It was date night again with Mr. Zamboni. This time for a good cause. And well, I had to take a selfie with him because I got my hair de-tinseled on the way there and it's the only time it looks good!

Tonight was the Stick it to Cancer fundraiser for our friends' son Cale, who is an alum of the Assumption-Pacelli Co-op Hockey team (and Assumption) and currently victorious over Hodgkins Lymphoma. Good crowd and lots of people buying raffle tickets, baked goods, and rubber ducks (Yup, my first Chuck a Duck). I don't know the final total raised, but anything is good, right?

When I came home empty-handed except for a cupcake for each of us, hubby reminded me that's how it should be. You're supporting a cause, not worried about bringing home prizes. Still, had I known I actually had to chuck the rubber duck OVER the plexiglas wall, I would've warmed up my chucking shoulder. Not that I've chucked a softball or any ball in 25 years.

Back home, hubby was able to make it to the conference showdown between our Lady Royals and Auburndale. I believe it was for the expected conference title since their hoops records were tied at 11-2 going into what I thought was going to be a close one. But Jim said we won by 15 or so. And that brings our winning streak to 9! Love the that these girls are Sticking it to the Competition. (Another theme night!)

And now I gotta Stick a Fork into this Cupcake.

That's MY theme night. And one way to ensure SWEET dreams! 

 

Not all Super Heroes Wear Capes

Super heroes come in all shapes and sizes – and ages. Today, our personal super heroes were wearing winter coats instead of capes.

While hubby and I worked, Carter and Mamie braved the single digits for us and removed our snow. And the neighbors' too.  I knew there was a reason God gave us kids! Well, slave labor and many other reasons. We were very grateful.

But the real super hero of the day is a little boy named Malcolm, who has touched thousands of lives from Wisconsin Rapids to across the globe. It's amazing how even the smallest of humans can open hearts in the biggest way. And today marked the end of his earthly journey.

Read his story here: I definitely couldn't tell his story better than they do.

Just hug your kids while you have them – whether they shovel your driveway or not.

Rest in peace, little hero. 

When Miracles Happen

Pardon my language, but 2022 is starting off to be quite the shit show.  I'm emotionally exhausted and it's only January 4th. And I'm only experiencing the roller coaster ride virtually. People we care about have front row seats and are just trying to hold on.

I need to remind myself that where there is hope – even the smallest amount, there is faith. And where there is faith, miracles happen. 

It sounds trite, but I believe this to be true. I must. Or why would I spend so much time praying?

As we transition from one year to the next, our hearts are hurting for those who are hurting even more. We have a friend who lost his father, a friend who lost his son, and a whole community who lost a beloved soccer coach. And that's just the tip of the 2022 iceberg.

But in this same time frame, we've also seen miracles – after endless hours of praying, that is. 

A neighbor adjusted wonderfully to a critically needed kidney transplant. A friend survived a freak stroke and was home within 2 days. Our close friends heard the news today their college-age son is cancer-free! Someone we love survived 30 days in the hospital over the holidays and is home. Another someone we love survived 15 hours of emergency surgery yesterday and into the wee hours of this morning.

To all of these, we say thanks be to God. The road to recovery will be long for all of them. But they're still here among us. And we'll still keep praying for them.

You and I know we don't always get the answers to our prayers that we want. People die expectedly and unexpectedly. But God sends human angels to give us hugs of comfort. We don't understand the "why" of most of the tragedies in our lives. And we probably never will.

It's frustrating. It's devastating. And it's out of our control.

That's especially challenging. Somehow, we need to find the strength to keep hope and faith alive. And look for miracles – big and small – in our everyday lives.

They're there. We may have to wipe away tears to see them, but they're there. 

I pray they'll keep coming. For all of us.

Serving Up a Cause

Tonight was the Pink Out (aka Spike Out Cancer) game for Assumption volleyball. I had hoped to share some more photos but my computer is spinning colorful wheels and I'll be lucky to get a few sentences typed here.

Anyway, besides players and fans wearing pink, they had a wall of cancer warrior names that made the shape of a ribbon. I recognized several names, including our friends' mom (and a player's grandma) who died of pancreatic cancer this year. Sad stuff.

I could've added a name, too, since we just lost a friend and former Iola co-worker to cancer the other day. Tom was only 57 – which is young when you're in your 50s yourself. But cancer doesn't care. It'll take anyone. Any age. Any size. Any station in life. It just doesn't care.

But those of us who've watched a loved one suffer through it care. That's why I'm glad they call attention to it, raise money, and wear pink for a good cause.

No one whose name appears on that ribbon deserved to get cancer or die from it. I hope some of them are survivors. Because my girlfriends who wear pink as their victory color are proof you can beat it!

In the meantime, though, hugs go out to all the family and friends behind each name. 

May we all live to see the day we truly do spike out cancer!