Random Pictures

Thank you all for your encouragement on my last post about Beth's new glasses. It was exactly what many of you said, she just needed to get used to the new look. She's worn them every day since and really likes them now.

I don't know how you get inspiration for your posts but I usually go about my days just taking pictures of this and that, and mentally writing it into a blog post. But sometimes they just don't work. So this post will be about pictures that didn't fit into other posts.

For some reason this year we didn't have a designated photo spot at church on Easter. I guess I could have created an area but just didn't think about it in time for Sunday services. Our thought was to take this in front of the fireplace but it turned out to be in front of the TV! 

We have a wire hanging over our driveway that is for our cable. A few years ago it started drooping, so much so that it was hitting the DART bus whenever they would pull in. They came out last year and raised it but it started drooping again.

So I called them and they ended up having to replace the entire thing. The tech told me it was so old the inner wire wasn't supporting it anymore. Now it's much higher and isn't an issue with the busses.

Let's see, what else?

Oh, I found this picture of Sharaya the other day! She's our middle daughter and I love how she seems to be waving Hi!

We have a dwarf cherry tree in our side yard and I love it in the Spring!

I got to video chat with Diana and the kids today. It's so fun to see them and hear their voices. Adelaide was dancing for me, and Oliver was finishing his lunch.

Do any of you follow Friends of Big Bear Valley, and Jackie and Shadow, the two bald eagles? A few years ago scientists put a camera in the tree by their nest. It sits on a branch quite a few feet away but they're able to study them and their habits. It's been fascinating to watch them lay their eggs, and then to see the babies hatch! Right now they're asking people to submit names for the two eaglets. Any suggestions?

Jackie and Shadow

Well, Beth just came out and asked what we're having for dinner so I'll close this. Tonight I'm going to make pancakes. We haven't had them in a long time! 

Have a great weekend!

Drum Roll Please

 Hi,

We're staying busy around here. We've had doctor's appointments and furniture deliveries. Things have been busy, but fun! 

Drum roll please...

We finally got our dressers! They chose a delivery day that didn't work for us so I rescheduled for 10:00am April 3, forgetting it was Good Friday. But when I realized it, I figured they'd be done in plenty of time for our 7:00 service. Chuck had taken the evening off so he could attend, but ended up missing it. They changed our delivery time from 10 to 3:00. Then from 3:00 to 7:00. I was so disappointed! Since I was helping with the kids event that night, Chuck had to stay home for the delivery. But we were thankful he had taken the night off! And we love the furniture! 

Our old dresser: the top drawer was broken and wouldn't close. And nightstands - 

And the new - 

We know it's not conventional to have different colors of the same set, but it matches our room perfectly. 

And Beth's old dresser. She's had this a very long time.

And the new - 

She loves it! She told me every time she filled a drawer. 😊

And... her glasses came in. Last time she got new glasses she refused to wear them but wouldn't say why. After many months she told us she couldn't see out of them. So this time I told her to please let us know if she can't see out of them, or if things are blurry or it doesn't seem right. I had her walk around the office, look out the window at something far away, and look at something close-up. She liked them right away!

These are her old ones - 

 And her new ones

Well guess what? I just went downstairs to get a close up of her glasses so you could see how amazing they are -

And she wasn't wearing them. She had her old ones on. I asked her why and she shrugged her shoulders, "I dunno."

"Beth I think you do know."

In a quiet whisper, "They're dirty."

But they weren't dirty.

"Beth, why aren't you wearing them? It's okay, we just need to know so the doctor can fix them."

"They're not me."

Hmm, I get it. So I told her it's like wearing a new style of shirt and I said you might look different at first, but it's still you. You just need to get used to them. I asked her if someone had said something to her but she shook her head no, "Uh uh." 

"You should try wearing them all day today and tomorrow you might feel differently."

No response. She just looked at them on the desk.

"Beth are they too tight on you? No response. 

"Do they hurt?" No response.

I told her to please wear them the rest of the day today and we could talk more about it later tonight. I brought her old glasses upstairs with me and I'll check on her later. I think if she really couldn't see she would have said something. 

This is where the second guessing comes in, should I force her to wear them? Is it truly as minor as her looks or is something more serious going on? Are they making her dizzy?

Sometimes it's hard to know.

The Greatest Sacrifice

We went to Israel in 2023 and got to see the Garden of Gethsemane. The same garden where Jesus prayed the night He was betrayed.

And we saw the steps they took Him up, to get up to Caiaphas' house, after He was arrested in the garden.

He was illegally tried, then beaten, and crucified. On the third day the women went to the tomb and found the stone had been rolled away. And an angel said to them, "He is not here. He has risen!" Mark 16:6

This is where they believe Jesus was laid after He died.  

This weekend we remember Jesus's sacrifice on the cross. He died for our sins, so we can be reconciled to God. God is holy and our sins: our lies, our greed, our pride separate us from God. So Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice - once and for all.

We also celebrate His resurrection. He overcame death so those who follow Him will live forever. He allows each one of us to choose: eternity with Him or eternity without Him. He doesn't force anyone to choose Him, but His desire is that everyone spends eternity with Him. 

After Jesus' sacrifice, we can now boldly enter the presence of God. He welcomes us into relationship with Him, now and forever! What a great and glorious God!

Christ is risen! And following Him is the path to eternal life! Hallelujah!

 

Happy Easter!

Busy With Good Things

There has been so much going on around here lately. Good things though.

Beth went for an eye test and will be getting new glasses soon. She helped me fill out the paperwork then I had her take it back to the desk. The admin thanked her and said she really appreciated her bringing it back, I couldn't hear if Beth actually said anything back to her. The tests went well and she found some new frames. It was funny to watch her expressions as she tried on different styles and colors. I suggested she look away from the mirror, then glance back at herself, she made some awful faces, "I take it you don't like those?" "Nope." And we'd laugh. The frames she ended up with are called Purple Confetti. They're due in next week.

That was last Friday, the 20th. This past Friday she had an appointment at the Dermatologist for more cortisone shots for the alopecia. Afterward she wanted to go out for frozen yogurt so we went to our favorite place: Revelations Yogurt. We were there a few weeks ago too.

After we left the yogurt place we walked around the shops for a few minutes and came across this mural. It's of the pier I often walk when I'm down by the waterfront.

Let's see, we've finally found some new dressers! We've been to so many stores, we're thankful the search is over. They'll be delivered this Friday.

They'll be delivered before we head to church to help with the Good Friday service.

Plus Beth's case worker is coming by tomorrow for the in-house assessment. Just to make sure Beth is in a good living situation. We'll take her downstairs and then Beth will show her around her apartment.

We've had a new little boy in our Sunday school class. So now there are three kids, one girl and two boys: 7, 5, and 3. They're all autistic and have many of the same behaviors. Today they did so well together, it was a really good day.

I got a framed picture sent off to my sister.

Took a bunch of stuff to Goodwill that had been taking up space in our office area.

Tomorrow we go live with our new room reservation system at work.

And next Monday Beth and I have dentist appointments.

And I think that's enough for now! :) 

I hope you all have a great week! 

World Down Syndrome Day 2026

March 21st is World Down Syndrome Day because most people have 46 chromosomes (23 pairs.) But people with Ds have an extra one on chromosome 21. So 3/21 has become a day to celebrate all those "with an extra" as it's known in the world of Down Syndrome.

We found out Beth had Down Syndrome after she was born. We called our family and asked them to come to the hospital, so we could tell them all together. We were a little  surprised because there was no inclination during the pregnancy, not even a hint that anything was different. They asked a lot of questions about Down Syndrome which we couldn't really answer because we didn't know ourselves. But we all instantly fell in love with her!

Getting ready to go home

A few months old

We were assigned a social worker who came to the house and began physical therapy.

Since she was our first baby we didn't really know what to expect, Down Syndrome or not. She learned to sit up at one year and learned to walk at two.

When she was two the social worker recommended she start preschool to give her the best possible start to education. Chuck and I talked it over and decided to try it, so with a lump in my throat I put our two year old on a school bus! And she loved it! 

Then we had Sharaya. And then Diana. And we just... raised our kids. Taking one day at a time. Trying to figure out what worked best for each of them. You know, parenting! 

Kids grow, they learn and adapt. Parents love, they set boundaries, and they teach. 

And then, before you know it - 

Sharaya and Diana learned to drive cars, got married, had kids... all things Beth will never be able to do. She struggled when Sharaya first got pregnant and Sharaya remembers Beth not speaking to her for a long time. Was Beth confused about what was happening to Sharaya (did I not explain it to her?) or was she sad that she might never get to have kids? It's really hard to know. 

But today Beth loves her life. She loves having her own apartment downstairs in our daylight basement. She's got her own space but has family close by if she needs help with something. She loves her family, her sisters, her brother, and her nieces and nephew. She loves riding DART to her day programs - Karaoke and bowling. She loves her job and the people there love her. And she loves her church. We started going there when she was just 4 years old. She knows her way around there better than most. 

People with Down Syndrome love their routines. (So do some of us without Down Syndrome! 😊) And Beth has made some pretty good ones. Happy World Down Syndrome Day.