Blog Malfunction remedied!

FINALLY got a new computer for Christmas. My blog WOULD NOT WORK on the old one. I'll start posting again (starting) next year....smile.

New Beginnings

There is some sad irony in the last post I wrote on this particular blog, July 11, 2009. In many ways, much of life as I knew it stopped with that post, with the loss of Pop. I think he'd be unhappy with me for shutting down in the ways I have. Now is the time for a new blogging adventure, not to leave his memory behind, but to embrace life, as he did. He taught me so many wonderful lessons. If I don't use the gifts he felt were important enough to pass onto me, I will truly be dishonoring him. A good place to start is with the poem that inspired the name of this blog. It was posted back in 2007 when I started The Great Author. Hint: It's not me;)


Poetry Corner....The Great Author
I've always known each moment of my life has been planned/ my story written by God's own hand/ like a best selling novel there's been wonderful humor and healing tears/ times of heartache and anger, dreams and fears/ I love and anticipate reading each new page/ every day a new story unfolds/ and though I don't mean to question the all knowing writer, at times my story seems to bare holes/ There are times I am tired and the words seem to blur/ and times I am positive a happy ending should occur/ I guess it doesn't need to make sense to me/ He's the author, he knows what should be/ And like a great writer when the plot begins to lose my attention and my eyes begin turning away/ He throws in a new twist to assure I abide by his way/ It's then I recall the knowledge that a character is nothing without the one who made her/ that every breath I take should be breathed for my creator/ I may not always understand why he allows the chapters in my life to sometimes cause me pain/ but I know he knows me better than I will ever know myself/ and every hard time I overcome by turning to him/ will everlastingly be for my gain/ So Lord take your pen and write what you must/ good or bad, easy or hard/ your pen gave me life and that life to you I entrust. (C) JL

My Pop

Alfonso Mauro, known more affectionately as Pop, passed away at 1:30 AM, July 11, 2009. He was 97 years old.

Pop update

Pop has taken a turn today. He's developed apnea. This morning he was going short amounts of time without breathing but it was much longer when we were there in the afternoon. He wasn't focusing well either. Although, around 6:30, he was awake and, while he wasn't talking coherently, he was making eye contact and trying to respond to what we were saying. He tried to respond with an "I love you." His lungs are filled again and the coughing seems to be hurting him. I'm wondering if it's so much a cough as a death rattle.

The nurse gave him a few hours to a day while the woman in charge of his place said she thinks it might be this week. I'm not sure. Pop always amazes me. I do feel he's suffering though and I don't want that for him.

I'm so heartbroken to lose him. I just want peace. I prayed over him today, that Jesus would speak to and be with him and that he would know it. He wouldn't let my hand go as we were leaving. I know he loves Danny, Lucy and I and appreciates all we've done. Please continue to keep him in your prayers.

Pop

Hi everyone,
Sorry it's been forever. I finally got a new laptop and we're all getting on with life after the loss of Anthony. It always feels so wrong to me that we just continue on when someone is gone but I know it's for the best. I hate to come back and be all depressing but we're losing Pop. He's starting to shut down and his nurse (we switched him to hospice care at the facility he lives) doesn't think he's got more than a few weeks. I never count him out though because this man is amazing! At the same time, it hurts to see him with no quality of life. He can only eat pureed foods and he sleeps most of the time. He's nothing but skin and bones. I will miss him to no end for the rest of my life but I don't want to see him like this anymore. I know he will be new in Heaven. We've been remembering a lot recently all the wonderful things that makes Pop, Pop and all the wonderful memories of times we've had that will have to get us through until we can all be together and whole again. Prayers for his peace and ours are much appreciated. Lucy's been very upset and neither she nor I are sleeping very well. I AM SO TIRED!

In happier news, Lucy is starting a farm camp on Monday. It's right down the road from our house. They have llamas and goats and horses. She'll learn animal care, have a library day, a journal time, cooking, gardening, green Science experiments, Math, hikes and swimming. It runs from 9-4PM, five days a week for two months. She's going to be wonderfully exhausted and I'm planning on having a rough draft of a book finished by the end! This will be a good thing for all. Especially since we've been going crazy trying to help Danny out with work for the past week and a half. He was awarded a contract with the FCC to install the digital converter boxes nationwide and we've been receiving from 800-1000 calls a day! It's madness and I'm ready for a vacation but we feel so very blessed for this work. Danny's amazing because it seems that anything he touches turns to gold. He's really earned respect in his business world and I'm proud of him for doing it by being honest and fair and Godly. I'm thankful too that God is blessing him in return for his faithfulness. Glad all of us girls found wonderful and Godly men. We're very blessed.

Love to all.

Anthony Jellison

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't been around for a while. We've had a very sad week. Our sweet friend Anthony was struck by a car in front of his school in Santee and killed on Wednesday, April 8th. He was 9 years old. We've set up a memorial website for him at rememberanthony.com if anyone is interested and feel free to leave prayer comments for the family. They are a wonderful family, some of you met his grandma, Laura, at Lucy's birthday party. They need much prayer and support at this time.

We hope all of you had a blessed Easter. Ours was quiet, Anthony and his family were supposed to join us, but Lucy enjoyed herself despite missing her friend. We were blessed this weekend to remember that God will be the greatest comfort to Anthony's family. For He too knows the pain of losing a son.

Love to all.

Ok Liz....we'll give it a try...How Lucy sees me:)

1. What is something mom always says to you? well I have one thing on my mind (pause) Brush your teeth.
2. What makes mommy happy? When I obey.
3. What makes mommy sad? When people don't obey God.
4. How does your mommy make you laugh? Always does silly things.
5. What was your mommy like as a child? Don't really know.
6. How old is your mom? 30
7. How tall is your mom? Short.
8. What is your moms favorite thing to do? Obviously, read and write.
9. What does your mom do when you're not around? Hang out with daddy. You don't really do much when I'm out.
10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for? Obviously writing a book, obviously.
11. What is your mom really good at? Loving people.
12. What is your mom not very good at? (Long pause) Being mean.
13. What does your mom do for her job? Stay at home mom.
14. What's your moms favorite food? Angel hair pasta.
15. What makes you proud of your mom? Everything she does.
16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be? Probably Jerry (funny huh Liz? I didn't even read yours to her. She calls Danny and I Tom and Jerry because we bicker back and forth:)
17. What do you and your mom do together? Play.
18. How are you and your mom the same?Pretty much everything and every way.
19. How are you and your different? Barely different.
20. How do you know your mom loves you? In everything she does.
21. Where is your moms favorite place to go? Barnes & Noble.