Pointsettia 1999

April 26, 2004

Spring Greetings!

The wild flowers are everywhere in the woods, and they are even visible to us from our picture window. Gratefully, I can still get on and off the ATV, so Jim gets me to our beautiful valley nearly every day to see spring unfold. What a blessing!

Easter brought our family together at Fr. Ed's house, and we enjoyed our ham dinner tradition along with coloring eggs, which was always one of Mason's favorite things. Last year, after passionately coloring eggs for a very long time he finally said, “I'm done egging!” and then headed outdoors for more play. We miss him!

Accompanying photos will show you how we enjoyed confetti eggs – a Mexican tradition of coloring hollowed eggs, filling them with confetti, and then breaking them on each other and letting the confetti decorate the yard for days to come. It has become a family tradition brought to us by the Vazquez family with laughs and fun for all.

Lately I've been diligently “working” (playing) on a project that I had in mind for years. For quite some time, I saved old jewelry with the intention of using it to decorate crosses to make what I call glorified crosses. Well, I finally got at the project with the help of Jim and my nieces, Janice and Sandy. I have my little “studio” set up in the porch so I can go out there anytime and be creative. I don't plan to sell the crosses or anything like that. It seems that people are happy to receive them as gifts, so that adds to my fun. There is evidence of my “work” on the accompanying photos.

I'm very grateful that I still can do things like my craft project as well as get in and out of the car to go places, take a shower without help, get in and out of bed without help, feed myself, etc. Even though my arms have been getting weaker lately, I'm managing to get along every day. Without Jim's help, though, I would be in dire straits. He has become the full-time chef and household manager, and he's very good at all of it. I am grateful!

It is exactly a year since we moved into our new house, and what a wonderful home it has been during this speedy year. If you haven't been here to see us and our new place yet – and even if you have – do come on by. Thank you for all the prayers, cards, e-notes, calls, and support of all kinds that we receive from so many of you out there. We are blessed, indeed!

Love to all!

Joanne – and Jim, too!

Earlier months' news:
November 2002
December 2002
January 1, 2003
January 14, 2003
January 21, 2003
February 17, 2003
March 6, 2003
April 4, 2003
April 16, 2003
May 1, 2003
June 2, 2003
July 7, 2003
August 18, 2003
September 15, 2003
October 10, 2003
December 8, 2003
January 2004
March 2004