A Perspective on Parenthood...

To any parent who has ever struggled with your calling in life and the bedtime ritual. Here is an amazing take on what it can entail.

I needed a good laugh today...this guy is witty...so have a hoot!

Greta has been gone 5 months...

It has been five months today since my sister passed and some days it now seems even harder to face the loss than others. Today has been one of those days...just difficult to face.

By now I am sure people are just tired of seeing, hearing and feeling me grieve. If you have not lost your sister or closest friend then do not judge me. I am not "getting over this" folks so just ignore me if my emotional state is more than you can stand. My true loved ones understand and accept that I am going through the valley of the shadow of death and love me just the same...unconditionally...like Jesus does!

Here is the link to the web page that hosts the tribute our family pulled together, and Bill produced, to share at Greta's home going service. It is different from the one you may have watched online at the website that hosted her obituary. This one reflects the song and words that she wanted to be shared...honoring God's hand on her for her lifetime.

I will warn you it is a tear-jerker. She specifically asked me to remember this song for "her time" and miraculously I was able to eventually recall it.

My Dear Dad...

Today's date, September 11th, has always been special to me because it has always been my Dad's birth date! Sadly, since the terrorist events of 2001 it has been remembered for so many other things but to me it still has much happy significance because that was the day he entered this world.

This morning I spoke with Mom Mom Esther and she told me about that day 65 years ago today. At around 4 AM she delivered the 9+ pound boy, Walter Kemp Jones, Jr., we call Dad. She went into labor before midnight and Grandad Kemp made two different trips to "go fetch" country Doctor Hodous who lived a few miles away from their Winters Run abode.

With mixed emotions, as this is our first round of special dates without Greta, I must share that she always put a lot of thought into her gifts and cards for Dad ~or whoever. I remember many times of celebrating when we all still lived at home. The four of us girls would go buy something for him and he'd say (and still says) we should not spend our money on him! For some reason he has always had difficulty with receiving gifts but we get and give them to him anyway. Maybe that is just the one way we could rebel and "get away with something" I guess. I remember one birthday we got him a bike; other years we would buy him clothes like blue jeans because we girls liked to tell him how to dress. One year I remember buying him tennis shoes and tube socks because we would shoot hoops with him in our backyard. We knew and still know that we could/can not go wrong with purchasing something Messianic, Chet Atkins related or at the very least Wrigley's spearmint gum.

Dad's choice birthday meal is fried Salmon cakes with mashed potatoes and homemade rolls (which must even out for his meal to end). German Chocolate is his favorite birthday cake. Oh and from taking his lead...always with a side slab of butter "on the nose" for the sake of a birthday tradition!

This pic is of Dad on Greta & Howard's wedding day, October 11, 2003. Ironically Greta married a man who shares his birthday with Dad! (So Happy Birthday to Howard too!)

In closing this post today, Dad, I want to say that my prayer is that you will remain as healthy and as steadfast as you are in your faith and desire to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others until He comes to get us all! I SURE DO LOVE YOU! Your oldest daughter and little tacker, Terri Dawn!

A Busy Weekend...

All four J's were in Christian musicals yesterday afternoon. The three younger ones were in a musical called "Living Inside Out". Jillian was the tiniest dancer. She had her moves down for her "What Cha Gotta Do" dance number. For another song she was one of David's sheep. She is too brave and made me gasp (from my vantage point behind my camera) when she would wander into the forefront of scenes where she had no business. They all played it all off with amazing improv...everything went reasonably well.

Julia did a cool "hat dance". She wore the sparkling tie and belt with a top hat and white gloves. It was a sassy themed song that said, "The Ways of the World...are not for me!". She was as darling as usual and was glad her long braided ponytail didn't "whack" the other dancers in the face. She is a great big sister who watched out for her sis - so she did not get trampled on stage by the older kids in the show.



Our dear Jared played the part of a strong man. He always has more energy than I have ever had even on my best day. He got antsy on the parts where he had nothing to do but he sang loudly and kept a smile on his face for the entire production.

Josiah had two roles in his musical, "High Cotton" set in the South during the The Great Depression era. He was both a reverend and a police officer. The parts were perfect for him because he tries to keep everyone on the "straight and narrow". Thankfully he has a good sense of humor. He even had a part where he had to dance with a girl...something neither Mom or Dad knew until we saw it in the final performance. He behaved like a gentleman ~ of course.

We were glad to be a part of the 8th Annual Children's Musical. It was glorifying to God and communicated the "right kind of message". We all had a great time working on these projects over our summer. Thanks to the efforts of so many tremendously talented people it was a big hit! If I knew how to download my video to youtube you could see them as well....oh well. :( Maybe next ;)time!

A 24 Hour Mommy Vacation...

I got to spend my Friday night and Saturday at the beach!!!! A friend of a friend of a friend has a place in Dewey Beach Delaware. So I enjoyed a 24 hour Mommy vacation with my dear, dear friend who I have known most of my life.

When Esther called to invite me I did not have a problem being her "second string draft pick" (since her daughter was unable to make the trip with her) this time. I needed the break and she knew I had been trying to get to the beach for the past three months! (I would have taken my kids with me but I needed some down time and they had an important dress rehearsal for their respective upcoming Sunday musicals anyway.)

The weather was quite incredible, the sun felt so good and the sea breeze was just amazing so we were lulled into a false sense of security. Let's just say we paid for the decision not to lather up with globs of sunscreen! You would think I would remember getting sun poisoning when I spent countless hours trying to hopelessly "out tan" Greta in my younger years. She sure loved the beach and could tan like no one I know!

Last evening Es and I had a fabulous supper in Ocean City, MD at the Marina Deck. That place is one favorite restaurant that my sisters have shared with many a friend and family member over the past 24 years! They have awesome seafood, a delicious tropical salad and homemade breads "to die for". I just had to call April in California, Candy in Pennsylvania and Mom vacationing in West Virginia just to rub it in! We especially love their coconut muffins the best of all their featured breads. I managed to actually save room for a Dumser's Chocolate milk shake for my ride home!

I am a people watcher and must be truly reaching middle age because some of the things I saw scared me while others made me laugh. I love my camera and resisted taking shots of the freakshow on the Ocean City Boardwalk "after dark".

Since it was a nice overnight trip and I did go a little crazy taking scenic shots and such. This pic is one I caught on bayside in Ocean City right as the sun set.

God sure can paint ~ can't He?

Our Labor Day~ Baby Girl's TV Debut

As you can see from the picture of our four offspring...we spent our Labor Day afternoon at the Maryland State Fair. It was a warm and crowded but the kids enjoyed themselves. In fact the 2 and 1/2 year old and her funnel cake made the evening news for a nano of a second!

Here is a pic and the link to the news video of Jillian on the WJZ-TV 13 News this evening. You'll need to pay close attention at the 1:25 point...don't blink or you'll be sure to miss her!

As you can also see...she did some climbing on a cool wall at the fair. She was so very tuckered out she napped all the way home and slept right through the news report...thus missing her TV debut! Don't you know she got a real thrill watching herself on the computer this evening?! Sadly they did not replay her on the late night news. :(

I have to say right here and now...this weekend was a far cry from the Labor Day weekend, a few years back, when I was carrying Baby Girl in my belly. During my pregnancy I had a serious health scare with a blood clot the docs found in my neck! "We" spent several days in the hospital for treatment. I thank God for sparing both of us and bringing us to this healthy point in life!

Whether my life story ever becomes a blockbuster movie, best-selling book or just a blip on the nightly news...my life has been blessed...truly...beyond all earthly measure and that is good news to me!

Christian Drama on GodTube...

A friend shared this GodTube.com link with me...I thought it would be a good one to share on my blog.

I feel it is one example of how "the Church" can be culturally relevant to today's youth and share Jesus Christ as the answer to a true life of freedom!