Category Archives: love
Valentine’s Day 2024
When I was working (some 45+ years) my husband always had flowers or other things delivered to me at work on any day OTHER than a special day. He really didn’t like to be ‘forced’ to do something just because it was Valentine’s Day, for example. He always did ‘just because’ days. I still like that attitude. But I do like special days, too. :0) I hope YOUR Valentine’s Day is a special one.
Sharing Love
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Filed under Blog Repost - Wonderful Posts, love, video
Hurting
Pexels
I’ve always felt useless when people I care about are hurting. I care deeply, but don’t know what to say. I want to FIX it, wave my magic wand, make the bad stuff go away, but I can’t.
I found two things lately that really resonated. I saved both of them because they seemed an ANSWER. When someone is hurting, you don’t need to try to FIX it or say the ‘right thing,’ you just need to BE THERE – if not physically, then in spirit.
I found this from Winnie the Pooh –
A.A. Milne – Winnie the Pooh – Illustrations by E. H. Shepard
And then I heard this song, “Standing With You” by Guy Sebastian –
Filed under caring, Friendship, love, Poohisms
Monday, July 3, 2023
GIFTS
My husband got this for me. It’s about the size of a business card, made of metal. I stuck it in the bottom edge of my computer screen so I can see it every day.
Sorry for the fuzziness of the photo. It says,
“If I could give you one gift, it would be the ability to see yourself through my eyes. Only then would you realize how truly special you are. You light up my life with your every word, smile, and laugh. You are the best thing to ever happen to me and I love you more than words can express, forever and always.”
___________________
And this is mine to him –
And the very best thing is these are given as a “just because.”
Filed under love
Need a Hug Today?
BabaMail
Well, maybe not THIS one, but maybe
Unsplash
this one – ahhhhhhhhh!
Filed under love
Role Reversal
Pixabay.com
Wow. Are we in trouble in the Lewis household.
I’ve told you before that my husband, computer analyst and general figure-everything-out-and-fix-it-person, had a couple of strokes in the past couple of years. This has resulted in some interesting situations.
I’m the original use-it-but-don’t-understand-how-it-works person. I’m fine as long as something works. When it is throwing a fit, spewing water, smoking, or is simply on strike, I have no patience. My eyes glaze over and what few brain cells I had leave.
The touching/interesting situation this morning was that my husband came into the office and told me that he had moved the laundry load from the washer to the dryer and had loaded the washer again, but couldn’t get it to start.
“Touching ” because I really appreciate his recent efforts to pitch in and help me do things around the house. “Interesting” because I have shown him how to start the washer 5 or 6 times now and he really has trouble grasping it. Add “grateful” because he isn’t angry about it, just quietly came and asked for help. Add “melting” because he’s my favorite man in the world and I’m still trying to adjust to our role reversal.
I showed him, talking him through it, having him push the buttons as we decided which ones to push, and had him wait with me as the machine changed from ‘add garment’ to the ‘lock’ icon which shows you’re in business.
I then hugged him and thanked him for his help.
This is the same man who gave up on trying to explain “quantum computing” to me after we heard a news item on TV last night…
Filed under Challenges, love
Friday Awwww
email from my friend Marsha
Filed under Awe-Inspiring Photography, love, your 'awwww' for the day
Happy Valentine’s Day 2023
What is love? (From the mouth of babes)
Parade
‘When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore.. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.’
Rebecca- age 8
'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.
You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.'
Billy - age 4
'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.'
Karl - age 5
'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.'
Chrissy - age 6
'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.'
Terri - age 4
'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.'
Danny - age 7
'Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that.
They look gross when they kiss'
Emily - age 8
'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents
And listen.'
Bobby - age 7
'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate, '
Nikka - age 6
'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day..'
Noelle - age 7
'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.'
Tommy - age 6
'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.
He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.'
Cindy - age 8
'My mommy loves me more than anybody
You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.'
Clare - age 6
'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.'
Elaine-age 5
'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford .'
Chris - age 7
'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.'
Mary Ann - age 4
'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.'
Lauren - age 4
'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.'
Karen - age 7
'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.'
Jessica - age 8
And the final one
The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife.
Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there..
When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said,
'Nothing, I just helped him cry'
Sad Anniversary Today 2-5-2023
Jade Wheaton Lewis
A SHORT HISTORY: We married in 1969. Between then and 1977, we lost three babies to miscarriages. (Rh Factor) In 1978 we had our son. In ’79, we lost another baby to miscarriage. In ’80 we had our daughter and our family was complete. Two months later, on February 5,1981, we lost our daughter, Jade, to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
“Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the unexplained death, usually during sleep, of a seemingly healthy baby less than a year old. SIDS is sometimes known as crib death because the infants often die in their cribs.” The peak incidence of SIDS occurs between 1 – 4 months of age; 90% of cases occur before 6 months of age. Babies continue to be at risk for SIDS up to 12 months.”
She was “perfect,” and she was gone. Our minister said, “Jade was born, lived a little while, and then died.” I couldn’t listen to more.
The pain was so intense that we both seriously considered suicide, then decided we had to live for each other and for our son. I read everything I could find on SIDS, and discovered the experts knew very little about it – why it happens or what can be done to prevent it. The experts also told us we were lucky that our son was only 2 – that he wouldn’t understand or remember it. Soon after we lost her, he took Jade’s blanket across the room to the trash can, threw it in and said, “Broken.” So much for the experts.
Lasting effects –
- I still can’t hold a baby in my arms without crying, even after all this time.
- I worry for pregnant women or women with babies under 1 year
- I can’t go to a funeral without falling apart and bringing all the attention to me, so I try to show I care in different ways.
There ARE some positive effects, though –
- I have learned that there is a core way down deep inside that enabled me to not only survive but to enjoy life again.
- I have looked at life differently since then, cherishing the people in my life, and all the things that are beautiful and bring me pleasure.
- I am much more forgiving, even though I threaten my husband from time to time of having the backhoe guy on speed dial to dig a hole for him in the back yard.
- Our family grew closer and stronger.
A really frustrating thing is that the experts know little more now than they did 42 years ago about SIDS. There are now baby monitors that are very helpful to parents. The experts now suggest that babies sleep on their backs. I haven’t found anything more about the shots that babies get at two months. I will never forget, though, that our pediatrician came out to the house when he heard we had lost her, and cried with us.
I hope that one day I will see Jade again, finding that her spirit is healthy and happy; and that one day the mystery of SIDS is solved.
Filed under Challenges, Changes, Family, love
Hold On
“In the coldest February,
As in every other month in every other year,
The best thing to hold on to is each other.” (Linda Ellerbee)
Unsplash
Filed under love
Monday Nose Nuzzle
Titas Burinskas – Roeselien Raimond – BoredPanda.com
This photo makes me happy.
We have a quiet day today – normal chores and errands. I’m still nursing my arm, so I won’t be hanging from chandeliers or trying to leap tall buildings today. Hopefully, things will be back to what passes for normal tomorrow.
I’m still thinking of a segment on 60 Minutes last night. It was about Hans Zimmer, a man who is famous for creating the music for lots and lots of movies. He is 65, full of life and enthusiasm, love for his craft, and simply fascinating. One part of the segment showed Leslie and him at his ‘work station,’ a thing of beauty, with I think 4 or 5 monitors and other control equipment around a keyboard, with a huge screen for whatever the movie was at the time in front of him. He was in total control, the master of his domain.
Our son is playing with this type of thing, trying to incorporate every day or other worldly sounds into music he is creating. I was able to find a URL of the segment and send it to him. I’m eager to hear what he says.
I hope your Monday is a happy one, with lots of nose nuzzling.
Filed under Awe-Inspiring Photography, love, Thoughts on a ________
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