After Maren and Jason's come my birthday and Dad's.
Lilacs, lily-of-the-valley, and kittens were standard accompaniments of my spring birthday parties with grandparents as guests. At age 103, my only remaining grandfather no longer gets out to celebrate with any of his 18 grandchildren. We haven't had kittens for years. And the late, cold spring meant that the only blossoms to be found yet were on plum or crab-apple trees.
Lilacs, lily-of-the-valley, and kittens were standard accompaniments of my spring birthday parties with grandparents as guests. At age 103, my only remaining grandfather no longer gets out to celebrate with any of his 18 grandchildren. We haven't had kittens for years. And the late, cold spring meant that the only blossoms to be found yet were on plum or crab-apple trees.
But Dad remembered the traditional birthday roses in my favorite glowing salmon tones.
There were so many to enjoy that it was special to take a few to leave on the graves of our loved ones in four different cemeteries on the way to my Memorial-Day-weekend birthday outing.
Our losses hit me again as this was the first time I have seen the gravestones for Aunt Dorothy and my grandma, who both died within these past five years of my illness.
But we do not grieve as those who have no hope. (1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18) We know the joy of those who are now with Jesus and look forward to the day when "He will wipe away every tear from [our] eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, the for former things have passed away." (Revelation 21:4)
Our outing ended at the same state park as last year, but this time Maren and Jason were able to join us there for supper and cake.
Jason's parents sent along an oak seedling dug from their flowerbeds. We hope to keep it alive and growing since we have no oaks on our bit of prairie.
Next comes Dad's birthday - this year with a special time camping at the lake!
It was too windy to get the candles lit on the cake, but at least we got a little sailing started for the year.
A neat, unique gift was a Norwegian/English New Testament with a funny story. A friend who traveled Norway recently asked at the hotel desk if it would be possible to buy one of these Gideon Bibles. They got the strangest look as the receptionist said, "No one asks that. They just steal them!"
Dad and Mom haven't been to Norway, where we still have plenty of relatives, for more than 40 years. It is still Dad's dream to bring his girls there too...
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