Cups of Tea Memories

One common item throughout my life happens to be a cup of tea.  From the time I was a toddler, a cup of tea has been a big part of it.  I remember having tea (mostly milk and sugar) with my Nana with biscuits (cookies).  I remember how she would say, "Let's put on the kettle, luv."  I would get out the cups and the milk and sugar.  Nana would bring out our special cookies.  She would pour the hot liquid into the teapot and wrap a tea cozy around it.  We would chat and laugh until the pot was dry. Wonderful memories sitting there sipping tea with Nana and Grand-dad.

In the early evenings, my mom would bring out the silver tea tray and tea set that she had forever.  It had the Blue Willow pattern on the tray, pot, cream and sugar.  She still has this and I hope I get to have it when she goes to Heaven.  Mom would brew the tea in the teapot.  She would put it all together and place it on our coffee table. We would gather around and sit on the floor excited to get our cup.  Dad would sometimes go to the Donut Shop and get donuts. Otherwise, we would just have tea.  Tea was enough. It was one time in the day when we came together as a family.  No fights, no conversation--we sat, sipped and enjoyed being a family.  I looked forward to tea time every night!

When I married my first husband, I continued the tradition. Unfortunately, he didn't like the idea and my tea time was discontinued.  I didn't bring it back even years later.  I might have to rethink this, I am sure that Wayne would appreciate tea time.

When I moved to Canby, the Good LORD brought a special lady to become my next door neighbor and "adopted" mom, Edna Vosika.  I loved her so much and she loved Alison and me just as much.

Since my mailbox was infront of her house and my house behind her, she would pick up my mail. Sometimes when I would go over to pick up my mail, she would have a pot of tea brewed for me.  I loved it!  Every Saturday, I would go over and she would fix a pot of herbal tea in a beautiful teapot. I would sometimes cry my heart out to her.  Times were so hard as a single parent and I did miss my family alot but this was the path I chose.  Edna would listen, sometimes give me advice and most of all pray for Alison and me.  I came to know Jesus through her love and sacrifice for my daughter and me.  I miss her so much but I know that when I get to Heaven, she will have a pot of tea waiting!

When Hunter was old enough, I introduced him to a cup of tea.  He would beam when I let him fix mine.  He would smile even bigger when I tasted it and said, "Something's missing."  That's when he would hug me and plant a big kiss on my cheek.  I'd taste again and say, "THIS is the BEST tea I have ever tasted!"  To which, Hunter would just beam even more.

Grace was taught to and the same reactions happened.  Grace said, "MaMa doesn't get a kiss with her tea, why do I need one in mine?"  My response was "I call my tea 'Special Tea' and it needs a special kiss".

Now both of them are wise to what's going on but they love it when I get so excited about my "special tea".  Sometimes they say I need thousands of kisses and they bombard me with a barrage of smooches.  I love it!  I need to get out the little tea set I bought for them.  And of course, get some "biscuits".  I hope that they remember having tea and making tea with their Nana.

I love all my cups of tea--they are more than warm liquid in a cup, they are treasured memories in cups of gold.  When I get to Heaven, there will be three special ladies waiting to have one wonderful tea party--Nana, my Aunt Lucy, and Edna.

Jesus Is My Friend?

I've been doing a Bible Study-"John, Get to Know the Living Savior".  There are several questions throughout..  In the section titled "Relationships", there was a question I hit a wall with.  The question was about how I see Jesus as my friend.

When I read it, I stopped and analyzed my issue with it.  I don't see Him as my Friend. He is my Salvation, my Hope, my Fortress, God, Holy, my Protector.  I reasoned that to call Him friend would be to make Him less than He is. Lovely, I thought that that was the end of it...but...

I was content with my analytic reasoning and moved on in my lesson.  Well, I may have moved on but the Spirit didn't.  It brought me back to that question and revealed so much to me that I was humbled and knew my reasoning was so wrong.

In my past, any close friend didn't stay close--they moved or life moved on.  In France when I was five, I had a wonderful best friend.  We were friends for a year when Dad got orders to Germany.  I was devastated to have to say goodbye. Everywhere we went, I learned that friendships are temporary.  Dad would get orders and I had to say goodbye over and over again. Too many times.

I developed "acquaintances" instead of true friends.  I never let anyone get close, I didn't want to be hurt.  Friendships hurt eventually.  When I moved to Canby, I thought that maybe I could make friends again without fear.  I did for awhile with a neighbor.  After a year, she told me that they were moving.  I was devastated again. My best friend at work after three years moved on to another job and we lost touch.  More hurt, more temporary situations. My shield went up again.

Today I have a couple of close friends.  The shield and I are always at war. If they only knew what a battle I have, they would see how much they mean to me. I want to believe in lasting friendships but I struggle.  It is me, not them who is the problem.

Okay, back to the Bible Study. The Spirit showed me that I can't call Jesus "Friend" because I have learned that friends are temporary.  Friendships are here today, gone tomorrow and cause too much pain when that happens.  However, I have also learned that Jesus is not temporary. I know He is eternal.  He will be there for me.  He will never move away.

I guess I just need to stop battling that darn shield.  I embrace Him as a Forever Friend. I need to trust that He will choose lasting friendships for me. I need to let go of the fear.  Yes, I know what I need to do and I know that it will take time. For now, I struggle with friendships but my shield is slowly losing the battle.

"That Other Man"

The other day Hunter and I were discussing family.  Family is the world to this little man and I am happy to be a part of it.  We talked about how when I married "Gramps", he (Gramps) became a part of our family.  How happy I am since then. 

Hunter also brought up my ex-husband, Gary and asked why I divorced him.  I kept it simple but stating that we didn't get along very well married and we get along better now as friends.  We are both happy now as grandparents and friends. Hunter stated that Grandpa Gary is a part of our family now and I totally agreed.

Yes, Gary and I get along better--even Wayne and he are good friends.  It worked out but it took time and some effort.  

Hunter then approached the subject of my first husband, Dan.  "So, Nana--what happened with that 'other man' ".  Oh, LORD, give me the right words.  I ended up being truthful with my grandson.  Hunter has the understanding of a teenager.

I explained that "the other man" was mean to me and his MaMa.  I had to divorce him since I was afraid.  Hunter thought about that awhile.  "Do you know where he is." "No, I don't Hunter."  "Good--he isn't part of our family--right?"  "No, Hunter, he isn't."  End discussion--for now.

I hope and pray I never see Dan again.  I still have nightmares of him beating me and almost hitting Alison when she was a baby.  The nights of him coming home drunk and getting violent haunt me.

Ok, I haven't been the best on picking men in my past.  However, I wasn't looking when the LORD had Wayne and I meet.  It took four years before I was convinced but it is one of the best decisions that I have made.

The Theory of Everything

Last night we watched the movie, "The Theory of Everything", the story of Stephen Hawkins.  Such a brilliant man who has Lou Gehrig's disease.  He was told he had two years to live when he was in his twenties--he is now in his seventies.

Stephen is an example of how brilliant minds become dumb when it comes to the truth.  He is spending his life looking for a simple equation for the existence of the universe.  I can tell him what it is.  Genesis 1: "In the beginning, God..." So simple yet Stephen can't see it because he doesn't believe in God--only humankind and it's potential.

Most people die of Lou Gehrig's disease within two years...not Stephen.  I can't help think that the LORD is giving Stephen more time to find the True Answer.

Seattle!

We got away for a couple of days to Seattle and it was a blast!  I must admit that I wasn't so into going but I am glad we did.  

We stayed a block away from the Space Needle, Chuhuly Gardens and the NW Science Center. The weather was wet but not to bad--no down pours. The first night we were there, we were beat!  Flying in a prop plane, stress of finding the rental and then finding the hotel was too much, so we just stayed in that night.  

What On Earth Am I Doing!!

On Friday, we walked all the way down to Pike's Place--a three mile hike.

We were fine until we had to go down a steep hill to the seafront.  Our knees, hips and backs were hurting.  I wasn't that impressed with the market though I bought a bag of no sugar added dried cherries and pistachios for the plane back.

View from the Space Needle

We made it back and ate at Subway.  After lunch, we headed to the Space Needle.  Mind you, both of us are deathly afraid of heights.  We both decided to overcome it and go up the Needle.  It wasn't too bad until toward the end of our stay up there.  I got a little vertigo on the deck and we had to head inside.

On top of the Space Needle

The next stop was Chuhuly's Glass Garden.  Chuhuly is one of my favorite artists and I love his work.  I was like a kid in a candy shoppe--I took so many pictures of this work.  Dang, I wish I brought my real camera but my cell phone didn't do too bad even in the dark rooms.

At my favorite part of the trip-Chihuly Exhibit!

We also visited the NW Science Center--definitely a place where the grandkids would love.  Since we have an OMSI membership, this was free.

We had a fantastic time getting away from it all!

Grandparents Day

Grandparents Day was wonderful as always!  Wayne and I got to be in both of the grandkid's classrooms.  Grace was so excited to be able to go to Hunter's class.  We had her that morning and the only way to make this work was to take her to Hunter's class.

We did a project in Hunter's class, met his classmates and had lunch. Grace was beaming the whole time.  Seeing the work that Hunter has been doing, I was proud of how smart he is.

Yes, I'm his little sister and so proud to be here!

In Hunter's classroom, feeling the love.

So proud of my loves.

In Grace's class, we did another project and Mrs. Tasker read a book about grandparents and memories. Pretty good book about a little boy who helps out at an elder care facility and tries to help one little old lady find her memories by giving her his keepsakes from his collection of memories.

There were four kids who didn't have a grandparent there.  One was Elli. Elli is always coming up to hug both Wayne and I.  Wayne is known as "Gracie's Gramps" and I am known as "Gracie's Gramps' Nana" by the kids. I love it!

We went to the book fair and let both Grace and Elli pick out one book and we paid for it.  Elli picked out one on dinosaurs and was beaming as she walked down the hall to her classroom clutching her book to her chest.

We thoroughly enjoyed Grandparents Day!

Us, Grace, and our "adopted grand-daughter" for a day, Elli.

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Elli getting frustrated trying to read the book we bought her.