A solid foundation.

There were times growing up that I didn't always appreciate being in a large family, especially in a small town. Not only was I related to probably half the town, but the other half were friends with some member of my family. So privacy was not a luxury, and getting away with ANYTHING didn't happen.

But I've learned as life goes on, as I raise my own family and as I experience the dysfunctional relationships in my husband's family, what a truly remarkable childhood it was.  

I'm not saying that all my family members were perfect, or all my husband's were bad. Indeed, all of us are flawed human beings. But what seems different is how, given similar experiences and community environments, how members of the two families responded to  their challenges. And how those reactions shaped each family.

Who you spend your formative years with can have a huge impact on who you become and how you approach life. These family influences definitely mold your character.  For me, it was my father's side of the family. 

I owe who I am to the ten children of my grandparents, Dave and Phoebe. Each of them brought a different element to the family dynamics, and each taught me something about handling life's challenges and opportunities. 

I would like to share each one of them with you this year. My creative challenge will be to find one word to describe each of them, and their impact on my life. I say "challenge" because I already know that one word won't be enough to explain their influence.

I am thankful to Dave, Bess, Mary, Jim, Bill, Larry, Gary, Bob, Mike and Jayne for teaching me the important lessons of life. Their legacy will live on through my children and,  hopefully, their children.

Passing Time.

"February is merely as long as is needed to pass the time until March."
-   Dr. J. R. Stockton 

Raising Routleys.

IN MEMORY OF:

Phoebe Ellen Wachter Routley

February 5, 1917

When I think about my grandmother, I am constantly in wonder at her strength and patience in raising ten children. She and my grandfather began their family in 1933, she was barely 17, and the country was in the midst of the Great Depression.

I wish I had known her during this time. Her youth gave her the optimism to face each morning. Her unconditional love for her children nourished their character. Her ability to find joy in the simple things in life taught them what is really important: family.

This photo of her is my favorite because it seems to capture a rare moment, a few seconds really, of alone time. A mental recharge before tackling the next challenge or tending to one of the children.


She was the rock. The foundation our family was built on. I was truly blessed to have her for a grandmother. And 94 years ago this world was blessed with her birth.


Happy birthday grandma. You are loved and missed.

Bracing for Snowmageddon.

I think this may be the second or third big storm of the year labeled that. But we have short memories. It is a first though: many local schools have closed for tomorrow in anticipation of the snowpocalypse. Even Michigan State University, the first time in 30 years it has ever closed for weather. It is 8:06 pm EST here in Central Michigan. No snow falling yet. Stay tuned.