Graduations continue ....

It just seems like yesterday that Kasi was born ... wasn't it just yesterday when we waited for about 17 hours of labor before she made her grand entrance?! And on Monday evening, she is to graduate from high school!! I remember well when she graduated from kindergarten and we thought that was a big milestone. This year has been a big year for Kasi. Not only her senior year, but she became a mom ... and kept up her school work and for that, I am so very proud of her.

A couple weeks ago, I attended Kasi's senior choir concert. I was once again amazed that she had accomplished this since the concert was an hour long and with extensive choreography so it was obvious lots of practice time had gone into it. The choir (Headliners Show Choir) received an "excellent" at the state level.

I'm going to post a couple videos on my blog showing the diversity of the choir.

Michael's Graduation / Party

My nephew, Michael, (Tim and Susan's son) graduated from Eagles Landing Christian Academy last night and I was happy I could be here to attend! He was an honors student and the last of the Boynton boys (Tim's) to graduate from high school. He plans to attend UGA (Athens, GA) this fall -- joining Jonathan who will graduate from UGA in December.

The graduation party was actually on Saturday night but I posted some of the graduation ceremony photos first. It's so hard to believe how time flies -- in a couple weeks, Kasi will be graduating from high school and I'm sure it will hit me that my oldest grandchild is now out of high school. It seems like just yesterday she was a toddler!!!

Christopher, Susan, Michael, Jonathan, Tim

First row: Maria (Susan's sister), Michael, Tim, me
Second row: Carol (Susan's stepmom), Christopher, Jonathan, Susan, Pam (Pat's fiance), Pat (Susan's brother)

Michael played both basketball and football -- and I think some tennis, too.

Susan and the awards and the 'memories' table!

Tim, Sandi and Tyler celebrating with cousin, Michael

The boys and their momma!

Michael loves his mom!

Michael and one of his favorite teachers, Dr. David Balty

Special Mother's Day Cards

I always enjoy the homemade cards I receive -- here are a couple of them .. one from Tyler and one from Kamen. I also was able to attend a special party given by Kamen's 4th grade class at Northside Christian School for the mothers and grandmothers! I felt very honored!

Mother's Day

In celebration of Mother's Day, we stopped by the cemetery to visit my mother's grave on our way home from Jene's graduation from Olivet Nazarene University. Three of us 'kids' were able to be together -- Joel, Rachel and me. Of course, we had our cameras handy -- Joel always has a funny face and usually 'rabbit ears' behind our heads!! But, I know Mother would understand completely!

The family group -- Joel & his daughter, Jacinta; me; Allen and Rachel and their six children, Jene', Shara, Jimmy, Shaley, Juliana and Seth

A friend, Martha Hall, went with us to Olivet so we asked her to join us at the cemetery, too.

Mother's Day

Over the past few weeks, I’ve often walked by the card section of a store where lots of Mother’s Day cards are displayed. And I’ve felt a sense of sadness as my mother is not here to be the recipient of one of those cards or a letter reflecting on her life. We wonder what heaven is like … my mother knew in a way, I think. She was ill many years ago and described going to the doors of heaven but being told that her time was not up. I wonder if she knows that it is Mother’s Day tomorrow. I know, I’m sure some are chuckling or shaking their heads and thinking, “Is she a little crazy or what?” But, we don’t know …

I’m the oldest of six children – the second mother, as I have been called over the years. A few days before my mother died, I had a chance to tell her on the phone that I would be sure to try to fulfill that role .. although I would never be able to fill her shoes. My mother was a woman of prayer – from the time I was little until she went to heaven, I knew that prayer was a priority in her life. She loved my dad and gave Rachel and me an example of how to be a godly Mother.

With all that in mind, I still love it that she was also very human. I think many times we don’t share those things for fear someone might not respect them quite as much – or may not think they were as spiritual as they should be.

I can see her now lowering her head a little and saying, “Mark!” Mark knew just how to push her buttons and then laugh while she just shook her head and rolled her eyes. She died that to me a few times, too … probably more than just a few times! Wonder why it was us who got that response. Oh, the others had their times, too. Especially the FIL’s. Who are they? Well, it would be Bob and Allen – whoever happened to be the “Favorite-In-Law .. a.k.a., FIL! That brought lots of chuckles, too. See who get out of her graces to lose the name for a period of time … ahem.. Allen? (Just kidding)

Over the years, we accumulated lots of memories – many of them on the funny side. She was Swedish – full blooded and I suppose she could typically be described as a “stubborn Swede”. However, even though she might be stubborn, she always honored my dad as the head of the home. Both of my parents were careful not to disagree in front of us (kids) even though we finally convinced them, I think, that they were just as human as the rest of us and we would like them to feel like they could show it.

In their later years, this came out more often and it made me love them even more – while at the time I might be a little frustrated at them. So, here’s a funny scenario that happened a few years ago about this time of the year. They were still living at Berkshire, an assisted living facility. Because of physical challenges my dad had, they were unable to attend their church home very often. But, this particular weekend, I was able to take them. So, I arrived and managed to get them both finally comfortably seated in the van. I was driving (thank goodness).

We set out – about a 20 minute ride or so. We had barely left the parking lot when they began to discuss where I was going to park once we got to the church. My mother wanted me to let them out at one place because she thought my dad’s wheelchair would work better there but he was certain she didn’t know what she was talking about and insisted I would go to the back of the church where there was a ramp. No, she was sure there wasn’t a ramp there – that they would need to go to the other door.

This went on for several minutes – I was the one shaking my head at this point. My dear, sweet parents were acting like a typical married couple –both of them set in their ways after 60 years of marriage and neither one quite ready to give in to the other.

Finally, I had had just about enough of my “parents turned children” and thought I’d better step up to the place as the “mom”. I told them that I really didn’t care where either one of them wanted me to park and that I knew exactly where I was going to let them out! I was going to pull up to the front entrance – it would work the best there.

My mother’s answer was classic … “And just who do you think you are?”

I told her, “I’m the one with the keys and I’m driving!” I think I heard a low “well” and that was it!

Don’t worry – none of this was done with respect but I will have to say that I hung up on them both one time while we were talking on the phone. My family (all of them) will know that you couldn’t talk to one without the other being on the phone. That was except for the times Mother needed to talk seriously about Dad and his health issues and she raced – well, not raced, but you get the picture – for the laundry room at Berkshire where she could talk privately on their cell phone. It sort of got to be a joke when she called and said, “I’m in the laundry room” …uh-oh, she needed to talk to us about Dad.

This particular time, they were both on the phone and were discussing something that they disagreed on and I guess I, as the oldest, got called (on the phone) as mediator. They neither one were paying much attention to me so I said, “Um … I really don’t need this .. “ and hung up! Yikes! I just hung up on my parents! At that time of their lives, it seemed we were reversing roles and I had to take the ‘parent’ role to my parents. Since then, Rachel has been the one who has taken over that role and for that, I will be eternally grateful. (She and Joel primarily.)

While life is filled with sadness and difficulties at times, we seem to grab hold of the humorous situations. Like the time I was cleaning out their apartment after my mother passed away. She had told Rachel and me just about 6 weeks before that she died that she had hoped I would come up to spend a week with her to clean out her office during that fall. Little did we know that she would leave this world prior to that being completed so after she passed away, I came back up to Indiana and took on the task. It was only fair since those living in Indiana have carried such a heavy load – again, primarily Rachel. (And they did their share after I left!)

I worked for several days. My dad, due to his physical condition, was not able to be up and around and every once in a while as I would pass carrying some trash bags, he would ask, “And how many bags have you taken out?” And he’d smile and say, “What was she thinking?” I knew he loved her dearly so it was not a negative comment but rather just knowing how she was!

Anyway … Shara was there late the last day I was trying to move my dad down into a studio apartment and she came out of the pantry with a can of spray paint in her hand. “Aha, look what I found!” I’m almost hesitant to share this yet it was what made her special to us and so typical … she knew that the family had been concerned about her driving and she had dented in the side of the van. She bought a can of matching spray paint and was able to cover it up quite nicely – and Shara had found the can hidden in the pantry! Oh, yes, we stopped and laughed for a while as we remembered the funny things over the years. The things that we treasure along with the more serious side – her prayer life and her love for her Lord and her family. Those are the true treasures – but along the way, we have so many memories that make us chuckle – or downright laugh out loud!!

She was fairly computer savvy especially since she had worked for Best Lock Corporation in their Master Key department for a number of years. However, when working on email or in WORD, whenever she got stumped, she would either call Mark or me. Poor Mark … he would try to walk her through it while driving down the road. “No, Mother …you can’t do it that way.” Mother -- “But, why not?” I was talking to her on the phone one day and explained how she could send a ‘blind copy’ on aol. She said, “Why does it work that way?” I told her I had no clue exactly why it does it just that way – I just know it does. She wasn’t quite satisfied with that answer. “But, why?” And then a moment of déjà vu, I’m sure. Wasn’t there a time when we were asking her the same question, “But, why?” I guess I should have shown a little more patience.

And duct tape … oh, my. Duct tape was a necessity in their home. I saw one of the chairs all bound up with duct tape and she explained that she had fixed the chair so it could be used again. (I didn’t try sitting on it!) Please don’t hit me when I share that we did put a roll of duct tape in her casket. It was during family time following the funeral and we knew just how much it was ‘her’ … my dad had to laugh, too. (Actually, we couldn’t find the role that we had the night before at the viewing and I had to buy a roll on the way to the funeral service. I wonder what the clerk would have thought had I told her I was buying it for my mother’s casket?!) That and post-it notes! Lots of post-it notes! When I was going through her things, I probably accumulated several pads of used post-it notes – I should have kept them for posterity but thought no one might really be interested in reading through them. Some related to reminders of medicines or notes of things ‘to do’, etc. Several years ago, she actually put a whole bunch of post-it notes on the front door for my dad to see one night. He did the typical “shake your head and smile” routine, I’m sure.

One of her challenges over the last years was in the area of memory. She felt that she was really struggling at times and that in itself became a challenge for my dad. I would laugh (out loud) at them sometimes. She would be telling a story and hesitated for a little while so my dad would say something. She would get a little frustrated because that made her forget where she was in her story. He would very calmly say, “But I thought you were through.” “Well, I wasn’t….”

I could write a book, I’m sure. She was after me to write a book for many years. She finally seemed content when I began to blog … it seemed that she was waiting for several things to happen before she was content to leave this world behind and I wondered if her ability to read my blog every day actually satisfied that desire she had. She wanted all of us to write our family memories but I told her that she would have to be the first to do it. While she didn’t really get it done, I found so may note pads of notes, prayer requests, reminders … it was like a lifetime of journaling in a variety of places! I have one of her Bibles .. safely put aside for fear of it literally falling apart. She lived in her Bible(s) … I enjoyed going through them and reading the notations on the sides of the pages. When someone had preached on a particular passage of scripture and she usually had little notes stuck in throughout the pages.

I suppose one of the special times I will remember was staying with them when she had her final foot surgery the year she died. It was early in the year – probably January. We had lots of fun – I took her to Walmart (that’s another story) and Kroger’s (and that’s a better story for another time … a great lesson in patience, I might add) and to the dry cleaners (I offered to go in and she basically asked if I didn’t think she could do it on her own. lol!) I would find her in her “prayer chair” with her Bible early in the morning – her prayer requests spread across her lap and I knew that those prayers were literally circling the globe … from her children to missionaries who were on her prayer list. I recently told Marvin Adams, Jr., how she would forward updates from when the Adams were on the mission field on to me .. she wrote him often to tell him of her prayer support for their ministry. And Aletha Hinthorn, Peggy Lewis and their “Come to the Fire” ministry. She emailed lots of people encouraging notes letting them know she was praying for them. I found many of those after she went on to be with Jesus.

Most treasured are probably the emails that her children and grandchildren received. I have many and I know my girls have some that she had written to them – and they’ve shared the times they called Grandma Boynton when they were going through a difficult time and needed some extra advice and prayer support. I think if you were to ask any of our family members what they miss most about Mother / Grandma, there would be absolutely no hesitation in saying, “Her prayer support!” Each one has a story to tell and each one is so important and is something they will treasure for a lifetime.

I wonder if in heaven she knows what is going on here – does she go to our heavenly Father and ask him to wrap his arms around one of her children who is going through a hard time? Does she ask Him to supply a special need? I know there are no tears in heaven and I can see her rejoicing there … but I still wonder …

So, at this Mother’s Day … I remember! The wonderful memories as a little girl and as a grown woman who had a mom who said I was one of her closest friends – a role I shared with my sister. I am truly blessed!

Happy Birthday, Rudy!!

Rudy is two years old!! I can hardly believe it -- but it seems he has turned into a 'little man' now that he is 2!! And I hear him calling me ... "Nina!" Actually, I realized he was saying "Nana Linda" in his own way -- that's what the girls call me since they have two "Nanas". He got on the phone yesterday and greeted me with, "Nana Nina"! And I realized that it was his own version of 'Nana Linda'!! Too funny!!

Is it May already? Can't be yet ....

I drove up to Atlanta yesterday ... yesterday was Friday, right? I seem to get my days and even months mixed up as they fly by so quickly. However, I was certain that it still had to be April! The traffic was the worst I had seen all year -- going north, that is, which is the direction I was traveling. There were stretches where all the interstate (I-75) traffic was traveling 55mph in a 70mph area.

For us who live in Florida (okay, personally speaking), the months of May and September are the low season. We don't have to wait as long at restaurants for seating and the beaches are much less crowded. The snowbirds have returned to their northern homes and school has not yet let out for the year. In fact, some places offer discounts for this time of year since business seems to experience a slump.

While I know yesterday was just the 1st of May, I was certain that the calendar was moving backwards as I battled traffic all the way through Florida. It seemed to thin out a little after I passed I-10 but for the most part, I was in a steady stream of traffic -- usually with some following me really closely trying to insist that I either drive faster or get out of their way. I usually chose to get out of their way as the patrol cars in both states are usually on alert a lot of the time -- and I decided yesterday was not the day to get a speeding ticket!! And I didn't!

Had a great "Girls' Weekend Away"

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A Girls' Weekend Away

Woohoo ... we're on a Girls' Weekend Away -- well, weekend may not be the best description as we arrived yesterday afternoon and then we are heading home tomorrow. So, a Girls' Few Days of R&R" would be a better description.

We already have had a great time .. we arrived around 2:30 but our condo wasn't ready until around 4. Actually, not even then but we were taking our stuff in as the cleaning staff was cleaning the kitchen. But, we managed to get settled in time to go down to the Lazy River and find a float. We floated okay -- I managed to get a little stuck under water spouts ... fun ... brought lots of laughter -- the whole afternoon and evening had lots of laughter, except ...

Rachel couldn't find her phone (see if her kids read this -- they agree this happens quite often) ... so I offered to call the phone. Couldn't hear it but that would be difficult anyway since it was on 'vibrate'. I tried a total of 6 times and on the next to the last time, I heard "Hello"? We were disconnected so I tried again. This time, "Hello? Is this Linda?" How would some stranger (if it was) know my name? Well, it seems that Rachel forgot her cell phone down by one of the pools and it was found by a family when it repeatedly "rang". I just couldn't believe that it had been almost two hours and no one had taken it but rather had kept it until we called it!! We retrieved it and went on to dinner ... now they are pestering me to get going so I must sign off or be left behind -- and we don't want any 'gal left behind' ....'til later ...

Floating for Survival

In the photo above, Rudy is in about 4 feet of water -- floating -- yes, with all of his clothes on. This is one of his swimming lessons -- the photo was taken last summer and he will be 2 on May 3rd. In Florida, one of the leading causes of death in children (if not the main one) around the age of 2 is drowning. So, Rudy has been taking survival swimming lessons. He first learned how to float and 'swim' underwater with just his swimming 'trunks' on. But, clothing was added since obviously a child wouldn't usually fall into a pool unnoticed with most of his clothes off. I was quite intrigued and still am as I watch the teacher in action. Now he knows how to float to get his breath and then he flips over onto his stomach and swims until he wants another breath and flips back over -- looks quite a bit like how he is floating above except not with all his clothes on.

When I watched one of his first lessons when he was about 7 or 8 months, it was pretty scary as I saw the teacher put him under water. Yet, I knew he was learning to swim and "float for survival' .. so I'm glad she did. I've taken him three days this week to his lessons. While he is still not real thrilled about the lesson part of it, he hasn't been too overly upset and seems quite happy when his teacher, Michelle, commends him highly!

Michelle sent me the photo above as well as the two below which she took during Bailey and Regan's lessons last year.