MY WONDERFUL MOTHER

I had intended to write about my mother on Mother's Day so I am three weeks slow! Mom has always been one of the happiest, most pleasant, kindest individuals that I have ever known. Her wonderful disposition made our home happy. I was either in college or medical school before it ever dawned on me, "I wonder if Mom ever gets sad or discouraged?" She so loved, honored, enjoyed our dad and her three daughters. As a little girl I recall thinking, "Mommy doesn't have to belong to ladies' clubs, because she says that we are her best friends!" That reality gave me such security. She was such a hard, efficient worker--raising a family, teaching school, farming with my dad in the summer. About the only time that she ever sat down was at meal time at that wasn't for long. She hardly ever watched TV--in fact, she wasn't even certain how to turn on the television (what a blessing!). Mom taught us the joy of celebrating even the simple events of life. She seldom spent any money on herself--what she earned went for her family and the farm. She was so easy to talk to and always knew just what to say (or not say!). She would sing funny little songs and pretend that she was the "floppy woppy doll". We would laugh until we would cry. She took good care of herself--she would jog, ride her bike, jump rope--I could never keep up with her in jogging. She was so unpretentious--she couldn't tell if a car was fancy or inexpensive (nor did it matter to her)--she thought cars were the same if they were the same color!
Most of all Mom loved Jesus and His Presence in her life accomplished so much of the above. The following poem was one that I read in August 1970 just before I started college. I was so homesick and included it in my mother's birthday card. Through these many years, this was often the poem that I would include in her Mother's Day and birthday cards.

MOTHER

Never a sigh for the cares that she bore for me,
Never a thought of the joys that flew by;
Her one regret that she couldn't do more for me,
Thoughtless and selfish, her master was I.

Oh, the long nights that she came at my call to me!
Oh, the soft touch of her hands on my brow!
Oh, the long years that she gave up her all to me!
Oh, how I yearn for her gentleness now!

Slave to her baby! Yes, that was the way of her,
Counting her greatest of servies small;
Words cannot tell what my heart would say of her,
Mother--the sweetest and fairest of all.
By Edgar Guest

Everyday of my life I continue to be blessed because of my mother. Thank you, Mom! I love and admire you with all my heart. Marilee

San Francisco--Our Fun Trip!

Six weeks ago Tim, the boys, and I had a special trip to San Francisco. We took this while the boys were on spring break. (I had tried to blog on our trip previously but couldn't load the pictures so thought I'd try again.) SF has been a favorite city of mine since my sister, Laurel, and I visited in l979 when I was attending a surgery meeting. My parents and I got to have a number of fun trips here, too. They loved the cable cars and the Golden Gate Bridge. Then in August of l988 Tim took me here for our honeymoon and the city became ours! As the boys are growing so fast, we wanted to share the city with them. We had so much fun and even today I think with such happy memories of our time there.

My pictures still won't load so hopefully can send them later.

TOMMY TURNS 14!!!

Tomorrow March 24 will be a very special day in our home! Our youngest son, Tommy, turns 14. How fast the years have gone. I so remember the day he was born--I had a 7:30 surgery to do and at the end of the case realized I was a little uncomfortable. I walked from the hospital across the walkway to my OB for my scheduled appt. He informed me that I was in labor, to walk back to the hospital, and get ready to have a baby! I called Tim who was at the dentist's office getting ready to have a root canal. He was more than happy to bolt out of the dentist's office, only to have the dentist run after him, saying that they could reschedule him! Tommy was born by mid-afternoon and he was my biggest baby at 8lb. 11oz. That evening Tim brought Timmy and Taddy to the hospital to meet their little brother. Taddy almost upset the bassinette trying to look in. It was basketball season then as well and Tommy and I watched KU lose to Purdue.

Tommy is a delightful son and brings us so much happiness. He is always so willing to help around the house and the yard. He keeps his room so neat and is very organized. This has been his first year in public school and he studies very hard. He has made the honor roll both 9 weeks and his dad and I get to attend the honor roll breakfast for parents. His Bible verse for the school year is Phil. 4:13.

Tommy really likes sports--his favorite being basketball. He hopes that KU can win it all this year! (So do the rest of us.) The New York Yankees are his favorite baseball team.

Tommy is so kind to both of his grandmothers and made each of them happy on Easter Sunday as he visited them. Tommy, we thank God for you and wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! WE LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH!

Changing of the Drivers

A goal that I have in blogging is so that someday our sons might have a record/memories of some of the events in my own life that had an affect on me. The following is one of these:

It was the day before Thanksgiving l975 and I was a tired, discouraged, medical student at the Univ. of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City. I didn't have a car and lived in a small dorm room on the medical center campus. A day before, K.C. had a significant snow storm. The medical student that I usually got rides with didn't want to drive back to the Abilene area (which I understood) and decided to spend Thanksgiving in K.C. I called my parents to state that I didn't have a ride home. I'll never forget my dad immediately saying, "I"ll Come Get You!" (Oh, how good those words sounded and tears still come to my eyes thinking about it.) I had an idea about when he might arrive that night so I started looking out my dorm window. After a while, I could make out the headlights of their l965 Ford rounding the corner by our dorm. My dad and I were so happy to see each other! He said. "Your mother would have come, too, but as soon as she got finished teaching school, she got groceries and headed home to start getting the Thanksgiving meal for tomorrow ready." He told me that before he left Abilene for the l50 mile trip to K.C. he stoped at Holt Motor so they could put chains on the tires. I still remember that night--he pulled back onto I-70 to head for home! My dad had come for me; the car was so warm; and I had the best driver in the world to get me home. (And he did!)

Fast forward 25 years to 2000. My dad is now elderly and having health challenges. He had just recently been dismissed from the hospital and was still quite weak. It was time for his eye appt. in K.C. with an ophthalmologist who had been caring for him for many years. I picked my folks up at their Assisted Living Apt. in Abilene and we headed for K.C. We had his wheel chair in the back of our van. As we were returning from K.C. to Abilene, my dad was so weak that he would keep leaning toward me and I would keep pushing him back up. As we were heading home along I-70, I thought how much had changed--now I was the driver and he was the passenger. This man who was so skilled and had gotten me home in a bad blizzard, now needed me, just as I so needed him.

The older I get the more I realize how so much in life comes "Full Circle". As two of our sons are now driving, I will more and more, once again, be the passenger. But, I will always treasure the memory of being the passenger when my dad went through a bad snowstorm to get me home for Thanksgiving.

My Sister--LAUREL

It seems fitting that I should feature my sister, Laurel, on a spring Sunday afternoon because of the memories I want to convey.
It was the spring of l959 and on a Sunday afternoon my parents, sister Donneta, and I were traveling down "Old Highway 40" as we were returning home from visiting friends in Junction City. We were in my folks l953 Ford and this was long before seat belts. I moved to the center of the back seat so I could position myself right between my folks. I conveyed to them that I knew that it "took a long time for a baby" so I wanted to put my order in ahead of time so that they would know what I wanted more than anything else in the world for Christmas l959. (I recall that they kind of looked at each other with that "parent kind" of look and smiled.) They tried to tell me that I probably needed new pajamas more since mine had holes in the feet, but I remained resolute that I wanted another sister.
A couple of months later my mom came out wearing maternity clothes and Donneta and I were overjoyed!! Our youngest sister, Laurel, named after our mother, was born on December 18 and she and Mom came home on Christmas Eve! My dream and wish came true! Our growing up years together were just a treasure. Laurel was almost 6 years younger than Donneta and almost 8 years younger than me. She was so loyal to every event and activity that we were in. No one was happier for us if our softball team or Bible Quiz team won and no one felt more disappointed when we lost. When Donneta and I were in high school Laurel was in grade school but she came to every event we were in. Due to her interest, I got a high school yearbook just for her. She spent so much time looking at it that when we would mention a student's name she could (by memory) list the pages his/her pictures were on.
During Laurel's high school years she became very skilled in photography. When I graduated from medical school, she took a day off school so that she could be in Lawrence to get pictures of the event. My most treasured photos of the event are due to her diligence and expertise.
Laurel has always been so LOYAL to all of us. Once, when we were trying to think of a password for an alarm systerm, my dad suggested (thinking of Laurel) that we use "Loyal McBoyle". Many years ago during a sad time in my life, Laurel called me with some very helpful insights. I've probably never thanked her enough for what that meant.
So on this spring Sunday of 2008, I think back with much fondness to my "childhood request of l959". I am so thankful that my parents "complied" with my Christmas request because my life has been so blessed and so enriched because I have a wonderful sister--LAUREL.

MY PRECIOUS FAMILY

"Count no day unimportant when you still have each other,
For the time will come, when you would give anything and everything
For just one day--any ordinary day, you once shared together."

I do not know the original author of this statement, but my mother wrote it on a 3x5 card and had taped it to a kitchen cabinet in their farmhouse. My mother truly lived the message of these words and she would frequently remind us that good-byes and departures should always (if at all possible) be on a happy, loving note--because none of us would know in advance if it could be our last farewell here on earth.

This week I was soberly reminded of the reality of these words. Two area families were tragically affected with loss of lives in accidents. Life as the survivors knew it will never be the same. My heart aches for the unimaginable grief their loved ones are experiencing.

I've been reminded of the truths from James 4 about "our plans" and the reality that we do not know what our life will be like tomorrow. The phrase comes to mind "Only one life will soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last."

So, Tim, Timmy, Taddy, and Tommy I love you ever so much. May I never minimize a day that I have the opportunity and privilege of sharing life with you and may I always have an eternal perspective on what matter most!

MY VALENTINE!!

Twenty years ago on Valentine's Day a "new friend", Tim Wiesner, made my day so special. Now these years later, as his wife and the mother of our 3 sons, he continues to be the treasured delight of my life! Together we have journeyed through life's moments--births of 3 sons, 2 miscarriages, witnessing the aging process in our parents (and ourselves!), job changes, kid's sports events, and many others.
Possibly Irving Berlin's "ALWAYS" conveys it best, Tim.

"I'll be loving you, always
With a love that's true, always
When the things you've planned
Need a helping hand,
I will understand, always, always
Days may not be fair, always.
That's when I'll be there, always.
Not for just an hour,
Not for just a day,
Not for just a year, but ALWAYS!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, TIM! May we have a thousand (and more) tomorrows just like today. I love you, ALWAYS! Marilee