Category Archives: Family

Personal Growth and Gratitude: Reflecting on My Volunteer Experience

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I am beginning my third week of volunteering at Washington State Parks, and my last day is Monday.

It has been an interesting two-plus weeks. I have met many people, Americans, Canadians, Belgians, and others from all over the Americas, Europe, and the Asian Continent. I have enjoyed these moments in time and have had many delightful conversations about their visit to the park, their homes, jobs and joy of being out doors.

I am also exhausted physically and maybe a bit emotionally. I feel like I am peopled out. I work about four hours a day, and by the end of the four hours, I return to my rig, stare at the computer screen, and do nothing.

I am a member of the Sisterhood of Widows Facebook page. It is a private group that is for women who have lost their partners. When I chose to help my friend Tina through the loss of her husband, I was introduced to this group. Below is a recent post that made me stop in my tracks. It struck a strong chord of truth for me.

“Trauma survivors often get in the habit of spending a lot of time alone because alone is Safe—relatively anyway. Alone is controllable. We understand alone. We don’t have to stress about alone. 

People are unpredictable. When we are alone, there is less risk to manage.”

Since my husband’s death, I have spent most of my time alone. I travel to the wild outback countries of the United States, Canada, and more by myself. Since my cat Elsie disappeared in 2019, I have traveled alone. I spend much of my days and evenings by myself, and I am comfortable.

I enjoy rich conversations with people, friends, and strangers in small and intimate doses, and then I return to being alone again. Sometimes, I meet up with friends and camp for several days. I love the company and conversation. Even in these group situations, I have time alone to recover the silence that has been such a part of my life since Jim’s death.

Over the past few years, I have recognized that for my mental health, it is time to enter the world of people. Part of the reason I took this volunteer position was to be more involved in the world of people. When this position appeared, knowing it was a limited-time position, I decided this was a good way to try out the world of people again.

I am sure I will learn many things from this three-week volunteer position. I have learned that I need to manage my dose of people. Being around people for four or more hours a day consistently, day after day, is a bit too much for me. It has physically and emotionally worn me out. I think I will decrease the dose of people after the following Monday.

Don’t get me wrong—I love socializing and having intimate small-group contact. However, the daily dose of humans is a bit too much. It takes a lot of energy to be “on” so frequently. I knew this when I worked as a tour manager, yet I think I have forgotten it, or it has faded into the background of my life.

I will continue to reach out more often to others as I continue this life journey. Hopefully, I can manage to find a good balance between being together with others and spending time alone.

Today, I am thankful for the continuing opportunities for personal growth and meeting so many delightful people in these beautiful state parks in Washington State. I am grateful for my family and friends, who have supported me through the interesting times since Jim’s death. I am grateful for their unconditional love and support. That alone helps me to reach out from my comfort zone.

Today, I am thankful.

The 2023 Roadtrip-Revisited

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In the winter of 2023, I decided to visit family and friends in my tiny home on wheels, EmmyLou. At the end of March, we packed it up, departed from near Santa Barbara, California, and began to meander east, stopping to visit friends, see places I had never seen before, and visit favorite places from past travels.

Adventure

An undertaking usually involves danger and unknown risks. The encountering of risk. An exciting or remarkable experience.

It began as a trip and became an adventure. I had plans, loose plans, but plans nonetheless. I was visiting my friends in Florida, my sisters and nieces, and other East Coast friends. I knew I was heading to the Canadian Maritimes, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland before pointing the rig due west again.

When did it become an adventure? It became an adventure when the unexpected showed up, and my direction changed. It became an adventure when I left the rig for two weeks and departed to the Amazon with friends for an amazing journey on the rivers of Brazil.

The adventure continued when I changed plans to Nova Scotia when an opportunity presented itself. I went to the north shore of the Gulf of St Lawrence in the Province of Quebec to photograph North Atlantic Puffins in a workshop with Christopher Dodds, a professional wildlife photographer. I did not expect to explore the national parks in New Brunswick on my way north. It was a fantastic adventure finding myself in unknown lands.

Thanks to Christopher’s suggestion, I continued north and east on the TransLabrador Highway into remote lands for a week. Along the way, I saw so much and met nice people, locally and others like me, who were passing through. It was well worth the effort to decide to head into the unknown.

I spent a month on “The Rock” (Newfoundland), exploring all the byways and seeing many exciting things. The locals were always so kind and helpful. The traffic was never in a hurry, and people were courteous. One day, I got stuck in soft rock, and the first truck that came by stopped and helped me dig out of an unpleasant situation. I just never learned.

My favorite part of Newfoundland was all the free and amazing campsites everywhere I went. The beauty was profound. The birds were amazing, and I got to photograph round two of the Puffins in Elliston, NL.

My adventure continued, and I traveled again through the province of Quebec to the United States. I began to head west, meeting with family and more friends. I took time to explore caves in Ohio and Illinois before arriving to spend a week on The Great River Road on the Mississippi River.

As fall arrived, I knew bird migration was starting, and it was time to go in search of the Sandhill Cranes. First, I arrived at the Bosque del Apache in New Mexico. My most noted part of this three-day visit was the women I met, with whom I connected immediately. It is fun to meet independent, like-minded artists and photographers.

Following the Cranes, I moved southwest to the Whitewater Draw in southern Arizona. When I arrived, there were a few cranes, snow geese, and waterbirds. After camping for two nights, I drove north to Wilcox, AZ, and met the cranes. As I took photos of other waterbirds, I heard the familiar cry; the cranes started arriving. I left an hour later, as the abandoned lakes filled with the Sandhill Cranes. It was hard to leave. It is a fantastic experience to sit amid all this nature and become a part of it.

After visiting with friends in Tucson and kayaking with more friends on the Colorado River, I arrived back in southern California, where this all began. I have been editing a slideshow ever since. Today, I finally decided that I was done editing and ready to share some highlights of my wonderful adventure in North America.

The spring, summer, and fall came to an end. I finished where I started. I saw many amazing things, loved my family, and received theirs back. It was good to catch up. Along the way I met wonderful people who took me in or enjoyed nature with me. It was a great adventure.

Now, I invite you to join me in my adventure. If you click on the video link above, you will see an eighteen-minute video that only touches on the wonders I explored on the Great 2023 Road trip. Enjoy.

Oh No, The Check Engine Light is On!!!

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One thing that, I believe, every camper rues is when the “check engine” light lights up on the dashboard. What? Why is this happening? Oh no, can I make it somewhere to have it fixed? Oh no, what about my current trip? Oh no!!!

After spending two relaxing and fun weeks with friends in Florida, the check engine light lit up as we traveled north to another hot spring, to camp, bike, and kayak. OH NO! What to do?

  • Breathe, I must first and foremost remember to take a few deep breaths and relax. Life is not over as I know it and it will work out.
  • Coachnet is my Roadside Assist. After breathing I called them and once they made sure I was somewhere safe they began to help me figure out the best course of action. In this case, they gave me some excellent information. If the check engine light is solid yellow, I can drive on it and it will not automatically go into limp mode after so many starts. Well, that is good to know. They also would call me back the following morning to tell me who they found to look at the rig. Thank you Mercedes Benz of Jacksonville. Whew.
  • Call my friends and tell them I am delayed due to all of the above. It is good to know that they would have come back to help me out if I had needed assistance. It helps to know someone has my back.
  • Go to Auto Zone and ask them to check the codes. Did you know they do that for free? I did not know this. Now I do.
  • Notify my sister, who I would be seeing at the end of the camping week, that there is a glitch in the plans. Ruth was willing to come to pick me up in Jacksonville if necessary. That is very helpful and it is what family does for each other.
  • Drive carefully to the campground and park EmmyLou for the five days we are there.
  • Have fun with my friends.
  • Breathe.

Today, Monday I am at Mercedes Benz waiting patiently. The diagnosis? I need to replace the particulate filter. Don’t ask me too much about this. I do know it is part of the emissions and because it is under an extended warranty, I do not have to pay for it, Yay!!!

Mercedes treats its customers very well. This particular service center has a complimentary breakfast and lunch cafe. How cool is that? After I checked in I had a made-to-order omelet and began to wait. The staff here is helpful and knowledgeable. I am in good hands.

Here I am, breathing and writing and waiting. I will be out of Mercedes in a few hours and continue on my way north. I am grateful that EmmyLou is in good hands. I am thankful it is an easy fix.

I am overly thankful for Missy and Dan and my sister, Ruth and Joe, who were so helpful and supportive. I am also thankful for Tissa and Ed (extended family), who let me park my rig in their driveway for the weekend. It is so good to have so many people that love me and support me.

Today I am thankful.

Florida On My Mind

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A week ago I arrived in Florida. I have never spent much time in this state. I am enjoying exploring a new area of the United States. with good friends. I have moved out of my rig for a few weeks to visit with Missy and Dan. I have a bed and my own private refrigerator. Mostly though I have company. I am enjoying that to the utmost.

2017 was the last year Missy and I met in person. I stay west and she stays east in this very large country. We have “zoomed”, texted, and talked on the phone. Oh, and there has also been the occasional e-mail. In this modern world, there are many ways to stay in touch and maintain long-distance friendships. Yet, there is still nothing better than being physically present with a friend.

And…I have my own personal tour guide showing me Florida. We have camped at Myakka State Park, biked (rather hot and hard mountain biking through sand), and walked. Still in the plans are kayaking and more. I am enjoying getting to know this state.

Myakka State Park

The other great joy of being with Missy is that we are both photographers so we are exploring the natural places in this part of the state, the southwest area of Florida with our cameras. It is fun to be with another photographer. It helps me to learn and grow in this craft that I enjoy so much. Missy, being a professional photographer, has much wisdom to share. Click Here to view her website. Her photos are amazing. She also sells Photo Art. Yes indeed, I have a lot to learn from her.

Photo Shoot at the Audobon Rookery
Tiki

The main attraction is a new addition to their household. A week ago Missy and Dan adopted a Ringed Neck Parrot. Tiki is the fascination of the house. We laugh at its antics and celebrate each new step it takes. Any time we are around Tiki the cell phone cameras get busy taking photos. It is no different than having a new baby in the house. Who knew a bird could be so entertaining. And oh my what a pretty bird it is, blues and greens dominate with a pretty red beak.

Endurance-The act, quality, or power of withstanding hardship or stress.

Englewood and the surrounding areas were hit hard by Hurricane Ian. This area remains in recovery mode. My friends and Missy’s parents’ houses were damaged in the storm, although not as bad as others in the community where they live. It is interesting to be here and see the damage that was done. Nature is powerful. It is also interesting to experience the endurance of people. Slowly people are rebuilding. Some have sold their homes. Some are removing the damaged units and replacing them with new homes. Some are repairing. People have lost a lot yet they endure and come back stronger.

After the devastation occurred people in this community showed their caring for each other. They helped each other out. Missy’s brother arrived from Maine to help get his parent’s house back up and in running order. Other people in the community, locally have offered services, supplies, and more. Organizations arrived to offer food, all three meals, while people were without services and busy cleaning up. Others arrived offering drinks. In diversity, the best sides of others often come forward. Humankind wants to help others. I believe that is an inherent trait.

I will remain here for at least another week before I begin the slow trek north to the mid-Atlantic states. It is good for my soul to finally see my east coast family after four years away due to Covid.

Today I am thankful for my friends who love me from a distance and close up. Today I am thankful for friendships that endure. Today I am thankful.

A Year of Travel & Attempting to Plan

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I don’t like to plan. I am a last-minute planner. I figure that everything will work itself out and no matter where I am or what I am doing, I will love it to the best of my ability. Vacations and life are an adventure, after all.

People ask me what is next and I often reply “I don’t know”. I think that response bothers others more than it does me, although, it makes me edgy and uncomfortable because I really don’t know what is next.

This year I am planning three trips. Whoa, what? Planning? Janet is planning? Yes, I am, to the best of my ability. Whew. Some require more planning than others.

Where am I going?

Trip One-Heading East

  • My rig and I are heading east. It has been almost four years since I have seen my family and east coast friends due to Covid. I decided it was time to go visit.
  • This feels like a similar trip to the first trip I made in my RV all those many years ago, in 2013. I expect this trip to be a bit different. That first trip was made out of grief and desperation and need. I needed love and support. After ten years the grief has settled and I have found my way toward acceptance. Ah. Not that I still don’t need love and support.
  • My first major stop will be in Englewood, Florida. I have very good and dear friends there and look forward to seeing them. How long will I stay there? I don’t know.
  • I will make my way up the east coast, visiting friends as I travel north to New Jersey.
  • New Jersey will be my first lengthy stop with family. My sister and her husband live on the lake where my sisters and I spent our summers growing up. As Ginny says, “the door is always open”.

Trip two-Brazil and the Amazon

  • Brazil and the Amazon River are calling. A small group of friends and soon-to-be friends are traveling the Rio Negro and Amazon Rivers. Birds, wildlife, music, and friendship. Who could ask for more?
  • This trip will be more concise. Some of the planning has already been completed. I had been procrastinating on making my flight reservations from New Jersey to Florida, where we meet up prior to flying to Brazil. With the encouragement of my friend Mary, I finally made the reservation while we were in Mexico in January.

After that trip, it is back to New Jersey and family and friends and summer on the lake. But wait, there is more.

Trip Three-Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and beyond.

  • As I make my way north through New England I will visit friends in Vermont and Maine.
  • I will be joining my friend Cori and we are off to explore the Maritime Provinces. Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and New Foundland. This is an interesting dilemma. Cori and I don’t like to plan. Shoot there is no one to take the lead. I am sure we will work it out. And as Cori says, since she has never been there before she will like whatever she sees. Definitely a beginner-mind attitude.

After trip three, I give up. No more planning for me. I will wander my way west to visit friends as I move. When will I return west? Before the snow flies. I just don’t like crossing mountain passes in the winter. As you know, I really don’t like to winterize my rig.

What happens between all these waypoints is totally up to me. I hope to find new places to explore and be amazed at. Maybe I will visit other friends I have not mentioned here. Maybe I will make new friends as I move east. Maybe, Maybe, Maybe-it is totally up to me.

March twenty-first is my departure date. I have one more trip to Santa Barbara. My rig needs a once over and Dan, all things Roadtrek, is in Santa Barbara. I will start my east coast adventure from one of the furthest land points in the lower forty-eight. It will be a true west-to-east adventure.

Currently, I am finishing things up in San Diego. Repeat labs were normal and that is good. A dental cleaning is done and the report was mostly good. Whew. I am visiting with friends and spending time cleaning out my storage unit. It is work. It is time I need to prepare.

The first two months of the New Year has brought me amazement and adventure. I hope to continue the adventure for the rest of the year and you can come along for the ride. You are always welcome.

My Mother & the Crows

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October fourteenth would have been my mother’s one hundred and tenth birthday. It is hard to believe that she has been gone for thirty years. That is a long time to not have my mother here.

My mother was an amazing woman. She traveled as a single woman when it was not a common thing for an unattached woman to do. My father and she married in their late thirties. I was born, the youngest of three when she was forty-two. She managed a household of three daughters, three grandparents, my dad and numerous cats and fish. She was a “Stay at Home Mom” before the term was popular. She worked hard. She always had time for all of us. Her faith was important to her as was the several gardens she maintained. She was a kind, compassionate and fun mother.

My mom died shortly after Labor Day in her eightieth year. When I was visiting the summer before her death, she mentioned to me that the “Spirit Babies” were in the backyard. When I questioned her further, I learned there was a family of crows that she had been watching grow through the spring and into the summer. She had named them the Spirit Babies.

A few years prior my sister had given me a small painting of two crows sitting in a grove of aspen. It was called “The Spirits”. According to some Native American traditions and tales, the crow is believed to be the messenger between the seen and unseen worlds. Crow medicine is strong medicine.

Shortly after Labor Day, my mother died after a long illness. I wrote a letter to her and included one of the crow feathers from the backyard with the letter. I tucked it in her casket.

My mother was buried in northern New Jersey. As we were preparing for the drive north from Delaware, I noticed my father had laid a crow feather on top of his overcoat, lying in the back seat of the car. I asked him what he was going to do with the feather. He said he wasn’t sure, so I suggested that he put it on her casket at the graveside. And so it was.

After the graveside service, we went to lunch with friends and family. Before my sisters and my dad and I headed to “The Lake”, my dad wanted to return to the cemetery. I drove with him. When we arrived we got out of the car. There were a dozen or more crows in the trees over my mother’s grave. As we stood there the crows lifted up in the air and flew. I was in awe. My father was too. I believe this was my mother’s farewell. I like to believe that she is now one of those messengers.

Since that time I have met up with my mom on occasion. When I am struggling and I wish she was here so I could talk with her, a crow often shows up. It may sit on a light post or a fence and well, crow. It is comforting to me to feel my mother’s presence. It is comforting to know she is still supporting me.

Do I believe that those who have died can appear in other forms? Does this side of spirituality exist? Over the years I realize that the answer to these questions is not really important. What is important is for me to accept comfort and support and guidance that is offered, no matter what form that may take. If having my mother there in another form is comforting and helps ease my journey through this life, then that is enough.

Today I am thankful for the years I had with my mother. I am grateful for her ongoing presence in my world. Today I am thankful for crows.

Open Arms

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My friend, Sharon’s birthday was a success. It was rather warm when I arrived in Rockville, Utah, 105 degrees F. Whoa, that is more than hot. I know, I know, it’s a dry heat—yet I believe anything over 90 degrees is hot.

I am always delighted to connect with this family. Tori, Sharon’s daughter, and I have not seen each other in many years. It was fun to reconnect with her. It was almost like we had never been apart. This is family. Everyone goes their own way as they grow into adulthood yet when they have reunited once again, everyone picks up where they left off. I am honored to be even a distant part of this family.

The day of the party started out hot, yet as the time for the party drew close the clouds came in, there was rain and then it was cool and lovely to be outside under a pavilion to celebrate this 90-year event. There was music and food and greetings of friends who, due to Covid, may have not seen each other in a while. A chair was set at the entrance for Sharon to sit in and greet and be greeted by the revelers. My favorite photos are of Sharon reaching out with open arms to greet each guest as they arrived.

There is delight and warmth and welcome in those open arms. These arms are not just to greet those with like minds and like ideals. These are truly the open arms of embracing community. Not all the people at Sharon’s birthday party believe like her. Not all of them voted one way. Not all of them are intimate in friendship with each other. Yet, in this small town, population of approximately 245, there is a sense of community that is often lost in larger urban settings. They know that they have to get along to some degree to make their small town work. During Covid, they knew they had to rely on each other to make their sheltering in place work. Smaller towns recognize the need for a sense of community. It is a survival mechanism.

Over the past several years I believe that we as a nation have withdrawn into our familiars. We have forgotten how to reach out to each other and embrace despite differences in religion, political beliefs, the color of one’s skin, and more. Embracing differences may be more work but the rewards are, well, more rewarding. Community can only work if we embrace everyone.

Covid, or “The Great Pause”, I believe has offered an opportunity for people to function as a richer community. People have been reaching out, helping others. I have been the recipient of others’ embraces. I was welcomed by friends to stay with them for the greater part of last year. Our friendship has strengthened and we have become family. Others have opened their homes for me. Strangers have left supplies at my door. People have phoned or emailed to make sure this solo person was doing fine.

If I take the time to reach out to those that believe or do things differently, my life will be richer and fuller. I will learn new things and expand the world that I live in. I want to know that I don’t have to be stuck. I want to know that my arms can always reach out and embrace the new, the unknown. I also want to recognize when other arms are reaching towards me. Part of healing the divide of this nation, at the moment, may be remembering to open our arms and embrace everyone.

I am slowly returning to the Northwest. I am keeping my arms wide open to embrace people and experiences and remember this valuable lesson.

Going Solo, Well Not Really

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An Idaho Summer

Just before I arrived in Idaho this summer I had a text conversation with Linda, who has opened her and her husband’s second home to me. She was concerned about me coming to Idaho. Covid-19 was on  upsurge in the state and she was concerned. Linda’s statement to me was she wasn’t sure I would have allies up here. I told her as a single or solo person I can’t rely on having any allies.

Guess who was wrong? Me. A week after I arrived in Idaho I got sick. I had a sore throat, it was really sore. After spending a weekend self-treating I decided a visit to the clinic associated with St Lukes Hospital was in hand. I was apprehensive. I worried that I had Covid-19. I was worried that I could have infected others. I was worried that things could get worse. I was disappointed in myself that I had exposed myself to this ugly virus. I was feeling alone.

I had a car appointment. I wore a mask and never got out of my car. The NP who saw me was gowned, gloved, and masked. My whole visit was conducted without moving from the driver’s seat. My heart rate was a little high and I received the lecture about drinking enough water at elevation. My throat was red and sore.

I was tested for strep which was negative and then for Covid-19. I was told I should self isolate until the results came back. Three days later the results were in and I was negative for the coronavirus. Yes!!! I am happy to report I am back in full working order and what was a scary moment in time is now in the past.

My friends came to the rescue. I notified Linda that this was happening. She immediately texted me and told me to hang tight. Over the next few days until the results came in we texted back and forth. Her support was a comfort to me and made me realize I am not alone. My sister, Ginny, was in touch and anxiously waiting for the results with me. Friends in Oregon, Mary, and Wanda, awaited the news and supported me via social media. Hmmm, I was not alone. I have allies.

Kayaking the North Fork of the Payette River

This event has made me realize I am never alone, not really. I have friends and allies all over the country and world who continue to love and support me and encourage me when I feel the most vulnerable and worn down. I have friends who support and celebrate with me when life is on an upswing. I have friends who make me realize I am not alone. I may be solo and adventuring out on my own but I carry all these people with me, in my everyday life. They are only a phone call away.

This summer I am up in the mountains. I am safe. I am biking, kayaking, hiking and taking plenty of photos. I am social distancing and wearing a mask. I am taking care of myself as best I can. And I am not doing it alone. I have allies.

Today I am thankful for my immediate family and my family of friends who love and support me, no matter what.

Family

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In 1952 I was blessed to be born into a loving, caring and teaching family. For several years our extended family, two grandmothers, and a grandfather lived in our home. I have been thinking of my birth family often this past month.

Since my early twenties, I have been “on my own”, living far from all of them. I have always been a bit of a wanderer and decided early to use my career, as an RN to travel and live in different parts of the United States. After living for three to five years in each place, I would pick a new place, get a job and move.  I settled in southern California. I obtained my Masters in Holistic Health Education, and at the end of five years, just as I was getting ready to move on, I met Jim, my friend, partner, lover and husband and settled into the San Diego region.

Janet & Jim

Jim died in 2012, and in June of 2013, I bought my RV and my life as a nomad began again. The house is now sold and I live in my RV full time. It is small and comfortable and for right now it is home. I have traveled all over the United States and parts of Canada and have embraced this lifestyle to the best of my ability.

Although I have had curiosity and fondness for everywhere I have visited or traveled, I return again and again to the desert southwest and anywhere from the Rocky Mountains and west. I love the wide-open spaces, the quiet, the stillness and the breathtaking moments of awareness.

Enter the Coronavirus and I am in San Diego. I am staying with good friends. I am recovering from treatment for thyroid cancer. Cynthia is recovering from foot surgery. We are all helping each other. I have stayed in touch with my local San Diego friends thanks to Zoom and Facetime. We have been doing driveway meetups, practicing the art of virtual hugs (not as good as the real thing) and sitting at least six feet apart. It has helped to break the isolation that my solo friends are experiencing. I have a strong and good family of friends.


Since I have been sheltering in place, I miss my birth family. Despite our differences, I miss the family I was born into. My sisters live in different places, one in northern New Jersey, and one in Ohio. I know they do not live close but they seem to be in reaching distance of each other. I am not. The three of us have had one Zoom meetup and that has helped. I want to arrange a Zoom meeting with them on an ongoing basis. It is comforting to see them and just sit and chat and listen. My oldest sister and I call back and forth. I look forward to those times when we talk.Families are a big messy affair even if there are only a few siblings. We can argue, we can disagree, we can laugh, share stories, and enjoy moments in time. Even at our worst times, we are still family.

In mid-March, my one niece (in Ohio) gave birth to a beautiful little girl. My NJ sister and I got to meet her, thanks to Zoom. I would love to embrace and hold that little bundle. I would enjoy a hug from family, actually from anyone. My other niece and her daughter, Quinn, live in New Jersey near my oldest sister.

My Ohio niece, Brittany, loves family. She once said to me that if it was up to her she would have a compound of homes and all of her family would live there. She has been instrumental in drawing me back into the lives of my family. I remain grateful to her, for the ability to do this and include all of us.

 

As I sit here on a gray Sunday morning, my friends are downstairs listening to their church service. One of the hymns I heard wafting upstairs was:

“For the Beauty of the Earth”. The third refrain is the one that struck a chord in me at this moment of time. “For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child, Friends on earth and friends above, For all gentle thoughts and mild. Lord of all to thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise.”

Today I am thankful for all my family, friends, strangers and acquaintances. Today I am thankful for recognizing the longing to see and talk to my sisters and nieces. I am glad they are all safe and sheltered in place. I am thankful to be able to reach out over the miles and remind myself to be very thankful for a loving and strong birth family.