More Cards, Packages, Good News, Love & Tears

Well, as Leah posted, Ruth is doing well and home. That was a significantly different kind of operation. I can't believe she's home. Wow. Thank you, Lord. I wasn't expecting that. And Bro Tom is doing well, too. All is well with the Baldauffs... Now, Jim's turn.

We received 2 more love packages today. Cookies and such from Joe and MJ. Thanks MJ. YUM YUM. I gave Jim the gift card so that when he gets better he can buy something he wants. I suggested sheets, since he's bloodied ours all up ;-)

Bro and Sis Kim and Mark wrapped up a big box of things we wanted from home. My fave thing as a child was making snow angels. Years ago sis saw a small Christmas Tree village item of a family with a dog just like Ruby, and a girl making snow angels. It's electrical and the girl goes back and forth making snow angels. She didn't have the $ at the time, but when she went back to buy it, they were gone. I couldn't believe she didn't get it, and that I hadn't seen it. It could not be found anywhere. We've looked. Anyway, low and behold, it was in the box. EBAY... Knowing my sister, she searched on Ebay and elsewhere for 3 years. Thanks guys. It's very touching.

Childhood things are good things. I think the Lord put childlikeness in me, even at this age. It's how I have survived a hard life: always knowing some other good possibility was out there awaiting me, something to explore, a rock to kick, a flower to pick. If it snowed here and I was walking home to the Lodge, Kim knows, and now you do, too, that I wouldn't think twice about plopping myself in the snow and making an angel, while the snowflakes fell on my face. I would open my mouth, hoping one would catch on my tongue. People would look at me like I was nuts, but I would delight in my Lord and the snow he made. It would be our moment. I did this as a child, and didn't even know it was Him I was worshipping in my childlike pleasure. But He was there with me. I know that today. I think the Lord must have allowed Kim to find the snow angel at this time, don't you think? So, while life is really hard right now, I have a reminder of who I really am, and that this life, and that this hard temporary part of this hard temporary life will pass and we will live in childlike wonder for eternity.

I got my earrings, my calcium, and our fave CD's. We immediately popped one in. It's called "A Father Sings" and it's Jim's fave. He listens to it all day and night. Well, when we heard it, we just started to cry and cry and cry. After all the good news of family, the love in boxes, the Christmas cards in the mail that was sent to our house, that my sister sent here, and hearing our music that we would lie in bed to for hours at a time, it was more than we can bear. We are soooo home sick. We want to be home soooooooo much.

And yet I fear leaving this place. I am so tired. I am so weary. so weary. The furnace was broke in my room last night, and it was 80 degrees. The engineer came at 1 am and shut the furnace off. I didn't get to sleep until about 3. When I awoke at 7, I was so cold. The man came to fix it. He left, and an hour later, it was 78 degrees, so I think I have another night like last night coming. I had to carry wet clothes from the Lodge to the Hopt. to finish drying them here because The SCT team was coming to talk to me. They never came. And it goes on and on and on. But thanks so much for the love, family and friends. Without it, it would even be more unbearable.

Love Us