Wordless Wednesday Meets Thankful Thursday - I Love You, Grandma

I've had a lot of dreams about my late grandmother recently.  They are very vivid, and the first thing I always do is grab her hand and hug and kiss her, because I'm always aware in the dream that she's no longer with us, and this is a rare opportunity.  I can feel her soft, cool skin in my hand and on my lips and her bony shoulders in my arms.  (She was average weight, but her shoulders were always strangely bony.)  She often looks back at me with a knowing look when I do this.  I'm never sad in the dreams, even though I recognize how much I've missed her and how I'll miss her again when I wake up.  (Of course, I'm bawling as I write this...)

I've been thinking about her more this Christmas than in Christmases past, and I don't know if that's feeding the dreams or if that's because of the dreams.  I just feel strangely connected to her right now.  Whatever the situation, I'm thankful to have these moments with her, in whatever form they come.

I love you, Grandma.

Thankful Thursday: Late Winter Snow

We were maybe going to get a possibly heavy winter storm, but as nighttime came without a hint of snow, everyone gave up on the meteorologists' best guess.  That didn't stop me...

...from peeking out the window at 5:30am, running downstairs to get my camera, standing at the open back door in my pjs to take pictures of the back yard, then running back upstairs with my camera to take pictures of the view from the aforementioned window.

When Mike's alarm went off at 6:45am, it was snowing again.

Ellie woke up to a winter wonderland.

So we went outside...

...and walked...

...and discovered that snow, like the tears that followed this discovery, is wet.

Then it began to snow...a lot.

Then the sun came out.

Everything glistened.

People in the neighborhood laughed at me, wielding my camera, like the silly Arizonan who's never seen snow.  Apparently they've failed to notice that I'm always wielding my camera.

Most of the snow was untouched, just for us.

Thank God for too much enthusiasm for simple things.  :o)

Thankful Thursday

Tonight I overheard my husband singing "Twinkle Twinkle" to our one-year-old son.

Earlier today, my son informed me that the birdies were saying "dada."

This afternoon, my three-year-old daughter learned, much to her fascination, that bats eat broccoli.

Last night, my son stood up by himself for the longest yet.

Yesterday morning, my daughter discovered that Japanese food is wonderful and eating it is even more wonderful when you use chopsticks.

This week, my son learned to hold up one finger when asked how old he is.

This week, my daughter became obsessed with making paper snowflakes, or "snow flags," as she calls them.

Thankful Thursday

First real experience with rain

Three generations playing together

First jalapenos... and hopes for future farming

Homegrown abundance

Successful ventures of creativity

Mistakes made marvelous

Learning a new skill

Gifts from young artists