Lifted Up

There have been many anxious, dark days over the past few years. What sustains me is the love that flows through our family. We may have differences and difficulties, but in the end, love wins. There is always hope. The cloud painting above echoes that eternal hope--lifted up.

Below you see this hope as I first saw her.

Daddy Update: Monday I took Dad and Mom to see the wound specialist. She was so excited to see the progress of Dad's wound. By the time we see her in November, the skin will have covered the wound completely. Please continue to pray for healing for Dad's broken neck. If it is not healed by early spring, they will be discussing surgery. It is a VERY risky surgery. I have seen one miracle, let's pray for another. Thank you so much for your good thoughts and prayers! You have been a part of our family's miracle!!!

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Our work day went very well. Yesterday after our trip to the VA, I was out to help finish clearing the rest of the debris. It looks so beautiful out there now.

Pink Shoulders

The sunsets have been unusually gorgeous lately, probably due to all the field burning taking place this time of year! Such an unromantic assumption! Nevertheless, I was grateful to catch this lovely young lady as she floated across the deep blue of mid-summer sky--she of the Pink Shoulders.  She is best seen when enlarged.

Below you see her as I first saw her.

Angel Over Mt. Angel

For past 13 years my family and I have been a part of Oktoberfest celebrations in the lovely little town of Mt. Angel, Oregon. Last weekend was the first time I've missed in all that time.

Our "adopted" brother Prentice owns a local coffee shop located near the Glockenspiel. Monday after Oktoberfest is his favorite time--this is when he offers free coffee and cinnamon rolls to everyone working to clean up the town. And those folks work HARD! After over 100,000 people come through town, there is a LOT to clean up.

Monday my husband and I went over to share in the fun. We had a wonderful time. It made up for missing Oktoberfest this year. I was also able to spend some time drawing and singing karaoke music! But best of all, I caught this angel floating over the Glockenspiel.


Below you can see the Angel over Mt. Angel as I first saw her.


Daddy Update: Saturday we tear down the rotten addition to my parents' home. Please pray we get more done than we'd ever think--and for safety for the volunteers who will be there to help.

Updated Update: We had to re-schedule tomorrow's demo-day. It will be in a couple of weeks. I'll let you all know when, so you can be sending out your good thoughts, and your strong prayers. Alan and I and a few others will do what we can tomorrow--so pray for our safety as we work.

Ocean Dancer

Pacific City along the Oregon Coast is famous for its good food, surfing and dramatic Dory Boat landings. Most summer days you can watch surfers skipping over the threshing waves, as the Dory Boats slice through the waters--sliding ship's belly up onto the sands.

Here you see a beautiful sky mermaid perusing the beaches. She seems fascinated by all the activity. Below you can see this lovely ocean dancer as I first saw her.

Daddy Update: Dad is a miracle kid! The surgeons gave the wound on his head (which exposed quite a bit of bone) a one percent chance of healing without surgery. At present, the bone is completely covered and the skin around the wound only has about one and a half inches to go--if that! Dad is a walking miracle! Early next month, Dad will be going in for a neck check up--we are praying for the same miraculous healing in his broken neck bones.

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My siblings and I cleared and cleaned our parents home and property enough that they were able to return home last Sunday morning! They seem so happy. Next weekend we are tearing down a rotten section of their home--down to the floorboards, so I would appreciate your good thoughts and prayers for safety for everyone who will be coming over to help.

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THANK YOU for your thoughts and prayers--they have meant more to me and my family than you will ever know.

Titania, Queen of the Fairies

I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight;
And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin,
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in.

--Shakespeare A Midsummer Night's Dream

Out to Lunch

When I first saw this cloud formation I thought I had discovered a hungry eagle looking for lunch on the clouds. However after I worked with the picture a bit--I realized, with his long scrawny neck and ruffed gula feathers, the bird was probably a turkey vulture.

It didn't take me long to realize his proposed meal was a mouse--after I added ears and tail. The mouse seems to be saying, "Um Mr. Buzzard, sir--I'm really not a mouse..." And the Buzzard, in the tradition of Bugs Bunny seems to be saying, "I'm not sure you're telling me the truth, here."

The body language of each had me giggling to myself. I hope you see as much humor in this cloud painting as I do!

Below is the cloud as I first saw it.

Daddy Update: What a wonderful thing! The top of Dad's head has NO bone showing! The two surgeons who looked at it a little over a month ago said there was a one percent chance that terrible wound would heal over. Thank you for your prayers! It is truly a miracle!

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Please continue to pray that Dad's neck bones will knit together. There's quite a gap between the bones--and Mom says, looking at the cat scan, that it looks impossible. But we've already seen one miracle! Let's pray for another.

We hope to have Dad and Mom's home ready for them by the 20th. Still so much yet to be done.

Blue Dances

This is another of my first attempts at Cloud painting. I could not find the original cloud (sniff), though I am sure it is somewhere in my enormous collection of amazing cloud formations.

Daddy Update: Last Sunday morning Dad walked my youngest sister down the aisle, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. He walked around quite a bit that day--and seemed the better for it.

The neck doctor had some discouraging news. According to the cat scan, there is a cyst which is lodged where the break in Dad's neck is. The Doc thinks Dad was probably born with it--but it seems to be impeding the bones from healing. But there was some good news, too--We saw the wound specialist on Wednesday. She was amazed at how quickly the top of Dad's head is knitting. Indeed--when I change his wound each day, I am amazed to see visible progress--It is a miracle to watch how quickly the flesh is covering over the bone, when the doctors said it never would.

Please pray for safety for all the family members and volunteers who will be at my parents' home this weekend. We have a LOT to do, including some serious work on the roof. It is my hope and prayer that we will accomplish more than we ever thought possible. Dad and Mom need to be in their own home. I would appreciate your good thoughts and prayers this Labor Day Weekend.