What. A. Month.!
Today, a few updates and thoughts!
First Hurricane Helene followed by Milton! No reprieve! Not even time for full assessment! These two devastating whoopers have filled our news and senses to overflowing. Billions affected. So many lives changed forever in such a short period! Unlikely and quite unpredictable or precedented. People still missing, unidentified. Oh, my heart breaks!! A cloud of sadness! Also, a heart of thanksgiving for my loved ones in harm’s ways with trivial nuances like damaged property, trees down, power out, but in perspective minimal disruptions.
Prayers and blessings to all who have been in harm’s way and now rebuild, clean up or find a new path forward. Also, prayers for those helping to regain power, provide food, help shovel, cut trees, clean debris, provide life supplies, and attend to emergency situations! Prayers for you and your families! May God protect you as you give to others!
It’s hard in a melancholy atmosphere to speak of joy! It’s hard to have a divided heart; part sad, the other happy. That’s how life is! The hard with the good, hopefully, providing balance and hope.
Also this month, I’ve been with four of my grands: three in Detroit and one in Northern Virginia.
If you know me, you know being with family makes my heart so happy.
I hadn’t seen my MI grands since July and that was for a weekend. We plan on spending Thanksgiving together, but I couldn’t wait that long! So, I seized the opportunity for a long weekend.
Oh. My. Goodness. Those squealing voices, running hugs, snuggles and kisses … it doesn’t get much better than that!! Especially, when they say, “I miss you so much Zee Zee!” If only they could understand the depths of my longing when we are apart! I attempt to communicate it, but words don’t suit!!
I took in two soccer games and two swim lessons. Such a privilege to cheer them on! So much fun to take part in their world! We did lots of lap time reading, especially with Indie, our soon to be two-year-old.
Zee Zee brought some projects and treats in her “Mary Poppins” bag: a “Bluey” Fall/Halloween Playdoh kit, drawing paper with colored pens, new books, Spirograph (for my 8-year-old), scarecrow project, Dog Halloween puzzle, paints, and the cutest Jack ‘O Lantern project.
Funny thing … do you remember the Christmas Sears and JC Penny catalogs? I recall pouring over them marking toys I would like for Christmas. Mom worked part time at Sears at the holidays, answering phones and taking orders when I was young. That was when you either mailed in your order with a check or called it in! We relied heavily on the Sears catalog since she got a small discount for working there.
Well, much to our surprise, an Amazon toy catalog showed up in the mailbox while I was in MI. I got the awesome nostalgic practice of pouring over the catalog with the grands. The two older wrote their names by toys they wished for. Mom and Dad tried their best to emphasize this was a wish list.
Our four-year-old, Justice, wanted to pour and pour over it, again and again. Indie found a page with Moana who she recognized from the movie and we played Seek and Find Moana about a thousand times. “Where’d woanna go?” Every time we found her, she gasped and clapped. “We found her!” It was the sweetest!
Deacon (8 yr. Old) and I used an old Amish recipe and made pumpkin bars with cream cheese icing. They are a bit nostalgic for me as well. They remind me of my PA Dutch relatives who made them.
Parting is such sweet sorrow! I couldn’t love them more, which is the sweet part. Well …. You know the sorrow part!
I came part way home and spent the week with our youngest grand. Delaney is now 18 months and running all over the place. I had the privilege of being Zee Zee while her Momma got some photography work done!
I was play partner. It’s so fun to watch the young ones explore and discover. Their speech is adorable! Saying understandable words followed by sentences unrecognizable. Plus, she’s entering the phase of attempting to repeat words you say. So cute! Warning: watch what you say😂.
Zee Zee was a little tired from round one with grands, but round two was just as enjoyable! “Mary Poppins” had a few new items for us to do too! Delaney loves books!! They are always a win!
Round three starts next week as I head to be with my other little grand! Goldie is 4 as well! Mary Poppins is currently repacking her bag!
The grandest part of my month!!!
Bolt From The Blue Update
My book is now 4 months old! Time flies even in the book world! I have been doing some marketing which is harder than the writing! I just don’t enjoy it, but I know if anyone is to find this book that God may want to use in their lives, they need to know about it!
This month, “Bolt” is in a local coffee shop and this coming weekend, “Bolt” will have a booth at a Fall Festival in Fredericksburg. The organizers called us and asked if we wanted a table! Thanks for the help!! Next week, Bolt will show up on another author’s social media in Hawaii!
If you are in the area, come by Saturday! Jonathan and I would love to greet you! We’ll be selling books and signing! If you have a book and want it personalized, we’d love to do that for you!! Personalized books make great gifts too! The holidays are coming😉
It sounds like a fun event for the whole family. Last year, they had hundreds of families attend!
Please Note: If you have read “Bolt”, we would so very much appreciate you leaving a written review on Amazon!! One author said getting reviews is “harder than writing and publishing the book!” It’s proving true for us too😬
Reviews Are Golden! It can be very short and simple! We’d love to see that number grow. It will mean more people finding “Bolt” on Amazon!!
Thanks for meandering with me through these updates.
I hope your month has found a few “grand” moments of your own!
Share one with us!
Some of us need a little balance on the happy end of life right now!
Mary Poppins’ Bag is Getting Heavy,
Discover more from Elaine Stone
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Elaine Stone 