Hertzler Doings~March 21-28, 2011

For some reason I am unable to print this in separate days. It all runs together. Mon.-Day at home to play catch up. Michael here. Went out to Lynchburg after school and found a few things to complete our wedding outfits for Annika's wedding. Internet not working. I am thankful for pink, yellow, and white blossoms. I am thankful for Phil's delight when he starts a new book. He usually reads it right through. I always have many on the go. I am thankful for children who tell me what is going on in their lives. Tues.-Worked on Recitatio at school. Second graders helped me gather sticks for an art project. We're going to hot glue yellow, pink, and white tissue paper on the sticks to make spring blossoms. I remember doing that in art class. I told the upper grade boys that I would give them Klondike bars for wearing sailor hats in "Blow the Man Down." Some of them are really getting into it. Especially when they fall at the end. Came home and puppies were starving. Angel's mothering instincts are more grandmotherly and she is not sure why she should be nursing them. She is a picture of obedience without the instinct. When she can, she removes herself from them. They are getting milk however, and and are rolly-polly and sometimes their legs hit the ground as they search for their mother's body in the box. I think I'm in love with them. Came home and talked with Phil on phone. He's working in Amherst. He called from the doctor's office. He got a pressure treated wood splinter through the base of his thumb around 11. Now he can't feel his thumb and it really hurts at the same time. Philip came home and made himself macaroni's from a box. I am thankful for CCA and the balance it has brought to my life. I am thankful for the opportunities the children at school have for learning poise on stage. I am thankful that sticks are still the world's best toy. Wed.-Practicing Recitatio. Suddenly got sick around 2 today. Began throwing up, etc. and couldn't teach my last class. Figured it was food poisoning. Some of the teachers would come talk to me through the bathroom door and they offered rides home. Phil came and got me. Was worried I wouldn't be able to go to the wedding because I could hardly walk. Susan went to Lynchburg with Loys and Doreen took her and Graham to VE in the eve. Phil picked them up and met her at Pamplin Exxon around 9:30. Michael was home. He found an office in Winchester. It will be named 'Hertzler and Associates'. Phil went back to the doctor around noon. He had a long red streak going up his arm. Dr. Tom did some exploring but couldn't find anything. They gave him a shot on his you know what. He couldn't believe it. Has an appt. for Monday. I am thankful for kindness. I am thankful for recovery. I am thankful for a good nights sleep. I think it was this day that Philip stopped in at the Bantons. The little girls were at the door chanting, "Philip! Philip!" They hugged him and loved him and he enjoyed it with all the bittersweetness in his soul. They invited him to Chi Alpha. Thurs.-Blood poisoning streak gone as well as food poisoning upset. Back to school to practice Recitatio. Held an art class for a visiting preschool. That was fun. I dried their art work in the dehydrator and it was ready to send with them when it was time to go home. For regular art classes today, we took pastel colored paper and paints and made symmetrical paintings by folding the papers in half and smearing the colors. Also hot glue gunned crepe paper blossoms on sticks and hung both the paintings and blossoms on the display strips in the hallway. Also hung up the waterfall kites. I love looking at all of their art work in the hallway. So colorful. Cleaned up classroom. Walmart. Hair cut. Tidied house as much as I could with 3 pooping puppies and smelly big dog in the house. Did wash and packed. Started reading 'One Second After' by William R. Fors---? It's about EMP's and the devastation that would occur in our society should there be a nuclear explosion. Philip went to Chi Alpha and enjoyed it. I am thankful that I got most of my stuff together for the weekend. I am thankful that the mess of the house is only for a season. I am thankful that the bluebells are starting to bloom. Fri.-Took Susan to school. Finished washing and packing and we picked up Susan from school around noon. Michael and Phil came in to find her. Some of the littlest kids were crying out, "Hi Michael! Hi Michael!" Read my book most of the way to Pa. Got to Joe's in 5 1/2 hours. Held Jonathan Robert. He's adorable. Looks like Micah and Karen and I think his Uncle Robert. Mom had us over for supper. Jim's and Anne and Dave and little David Andrew came. He looks like his cousin, Philip. I got to hold him and feed him and then he pooped on me a little. Anne had to change him and had forgotten another outfit and Mom found a wool outfit that Aunt Mae had knit for Johnny. Mom dressed him in that. The little buttons were scotty dogs. I got to lay down on the sofa with David asleep on my chest. I think I miss that part about my own babies the most. The snuggling together like that. Anne looks great. She's always been involved in the lives of her nieces and nephews and I am hoping to be involved in the lives of my two new nephews. Got to bed around 11. Finished book before turning in. I am thankful for Mom's tears as she dressed David in Johnny's baby clothes. I am thankful that we'll never forget Johnny. I am thankful for the joy that David and Jonathan have brought into our lives. Sat.-Leisurely breakfast of coffee and zucchini bread with Phil and Karen. Logan, Bradley, Michael, and Susan, got up soon after 5 to go to Shady Maple. Logan had to be at quizzing at LMH at 7. Mike and Susan came back and slept for several more hours. Had more time with Jonathan. Visited Debra briefly. Had lunch with Mom and Dad. Freeman and Alli arrived safely. Alli fixed Susan's hair and makeup for the wedding. She does it just right. Annika and Stew got married at Petra. The stage was set simply with the unity candles. The brides had royal blue willowy dresses with straps and a brilliant bouquet of flowers. They had quite a few bridesmaids and groomsmen. Annika had her hair curled and she looked like a Princess. Both she and Katrina are unusually beautiful but are natural about it and not cocky in any way. It was a sweetbitter day. Abie was missed. It will be two years this May. There was a note in the back of the program that Annika had written to him. There were acknowledgments of the lack of his presence throughout the day and we appreciated the importance of that.Rosalee's pastor prayed about their loss and asked for special grace. Don't get me wrong. There was great joy. That's why I call it a sweetbitter day. We went to Mother's in between the wedding and reception. The bridal party went to Pool Forge for pictures. They froze. Mother liked having us at her place. Abie, Margaret, David, Phil, Freeman, Alli, Michael, Susan, and I were there. Mother said, "I like this. I want everyone to move back here." I asked her about stopping in tomorrow and my brother Abe said, "Yes, stop in and make sure you kick the neighbors wall when you're here." I write that because there's a story behind those words and my sister will enjoy them. At the reception, our kids sat at the cousin table. Susan enjoyed talking with Seth. She said that you could really tell that Seth and Karisten loved each other and were best friends. Phil and I sat with my favorite Uncle Paul and Aunt Anne, Bob and Linda Buck, and Titus and Barb Kauffman. We had roast beef, chicken, roasted potatoes, green beans, shoepeg corn, salad, and incredible cake for our meal. The highlight of the reception was Katrina's poem and I will give that it's own place in my blog. We got home before 9 and went to bed. I am thankful that Phil came to bed and sighed, "What a wonderful day!" I am thankful that Phil always says that our wedding was the best after every wedding we go to. I am thankful that when I stood up to go out prematurely in the sanctuary, that I dropped my kleenex, and when I bent down to pick it up, I realized that it was the other sides turn to go out. "Good thing I dropped my kleenex," I said to my sis in law, Karen D. She is so easy to make laugh. I am thankful that she told me that Abbi said, "The Hertzler's are so warm." Sun.-Breakfast of coffeecake, Mt. Dew apple dumplings, and fruit salad with Karen, Phil, and Michael. Susan came over later, having spent the night at Jim's. Gave Jonathan his bottle. He is really a wonderful little baby. Stopped over at Mom and Dad's to say good bye and to hear Dad's prayer for us. The picture he painted of God with his prayer made me cry. Dear sweet family. Rich Deep Heritage. Thank you, Thank you, God. Stopped in with Andy and Lucille for about half an hour. Michael ended up sharpening her Cutco knives that they had bought from Johnny years ago. Went to Mother's and had some time with her. Michael kept marveling about how much Grandma D. and I act alike. Michael showed her his knives and explained his work. She enjoyed that. She gave us more hats that she had knitted. We bought lunch at the New Holland Sheetz and headed home. Michael wanted to know what Susan was doing for Recitation and he convinced her to recite as much of Ps. 119 as she could. He and Phil discussed Rhetoric, Philosophy, the Truth Project, ethics, and morality, etc. on the way home.I wrote down a few things he said in my blogging notebook. "Assumptions are the most dangerous forms of knowledge," is one of the sentences I jotted down. Got home at 4:30. I put some of our stuff away and took a drive down the river to see the bluebells. It's cold here. They had snow this weekend. Made some popcorn and watched a Pink Panther movie with Phil. The house was cold. The fire had been out for several days. I am thankful to be home. I am thankful for our families. I am thankful for Stew and Annika and their glorious love for each other.