I took this at dawn last week as I was getting ready for work. It was so peaceful with the early light coming through the window. I’ve always believed that beauty can be found almost anywhere.
There is a song that I have started listening to at 4:15 each morning as I brew my cup of tea and pack my lunch. It’s 45 years old but still incredibly beautiful. Listen to it sometimes when your soul just needs to be still.
It seems that last Wednesday was Bring a Goose to Work Day. I looked up from my desk and saw this whole Goose Clan strutting by. They seem to have forgotten their little Goose Briefcases, but other than that, they were good to go!
Oh wait. There they are!
Last week, I was lying down briefly before dinner when the following text popped up on my phone:
Steve is always making me laugh. Plus, he cooks! What’s not to love?
I was talking to one of my physical therapists who was looking at appointments for the coming week. He said, “This time slot is not ideal, but I think we can Tetris it in.”
I looked at him and said, “What did you just say?”
He replied, “We can Tetris it in.”
I told him I was very familiar with the Tetris game (I may or may not have gotten addicted to it a couple of decades ago), but I had never heard the word used as a verb. He said his generation used that phrase all the time! In the comments, I’ll be asking if it’s a phrase you have ever heard.
Today, Nathan is starting a new position at his job as a Senior Project Controls Specialist. (Don’t ask me what that means.) The benefits are much better, and there is more room for advancement. He’s done so great at Duke Energy, and Steve and I are proud of him for taking this next step.
You may be wondering about how Meagan is doing and if the family has made it back home yet.
I am happy to report that the six of them arrived back home last Friday afternoon. They left Florida on Thursday afternoon and made it halfway. (They split up the trip to make it less strenuous for Meagan.) Steve left our house at 5 a.m. on Friday and met them in Hardeeville, SC, to help out the rest of the way. He put the seats down in the back of our car and made a bed for Meagan, which gave her a break from having to sit up the whole time. She is very slowly gaining some strength back.
Before Meagan was discharged from the hospital, she and her mom shared a sweet moment while Sheri braided Meagan’s hair. Every mother reading this knows that it was not so much about braiding hair as it was about bringing love and comfort through a mother’s hands.
After work on Friday, I picked up Sarah and brought her home for part of the weekend. (Gage was out of town.) On Friday night, we had pizza and watched a movie, and on Saturday, she and I went to a fabulous, huge antique market in Concord, NC, and had lunch. It’s been a while since we’ve been able to spend some time together, so it was a special treat. (Finding Sarah in this photo is like finding Waldo. She kind of blends into the scenery.)
I spent yesterday afternoon at Nathan and Meagan’s and took them some food. I feel so blessed to have my children near enough that I can visit.
Tinker and Belle sleep with us and are usually pretty good about giving Steve and me enough space. But Sunday morning, he got up very early to go play bass at two churches, and so the dogs transferred their affections and their persons over to my side of the bed.
They very generously allowed me the tiniest modicum of space. So very kind.
Long-time reader, Jan Reuther, left a comment saying that I should post the song I wrote for Nathan and Meagan’s wedding in honor of their recent anniversary. Her wish is my command! I’ll post the lyrics after the comments.
Here is the story behind how the song was written. Song Story (Revisted)
What about you?
Have you heard the phrase “Tetris it in?” If you so, how old are you?
Is there a certain song from the past that you still enjoy listening to?
Do you have any tricks for getting a dog to take heartworm medicine? Tinker gobbles his down but Belle refuses it even through we’ve tried to hide it in all sorts of disguises. We are getting desperate for a solution.
Anything interesting going on this week?
Here are the lyrics to the wedding song.
I sang the first verse, and Meagan sang the second. Meagan’s brother-in-law, John Schreck, played the piano.
1. When you were just a little boy, you brought me flowers, you brought me joy,
And I never thought those days would ever end
But here you stand, all grown up now, to take a wife, and make a vow
That you’ll love her as a husband and a friend
I remember younger days, when you would go outside and play
And I’d watch you through the window, and I’d smile
Rosy cheeks and skinned up knees, “Will you kiss my owie, mommy, please?”
How I love the man who used to be that child.
Yeah, I love the man who grew up from that child
(This is where the back door swung open and Meagan started down the aisle.)
2. Today I’ll pledge my life to you, today I’ll stand and say, “I do.”
I will take the name of the blessing God has sent
Can’t help but stand in awe of what the Lord has done to build our love.
I have prayed for you, my husband, and my friend
I can still remember when we first met, you were only ten
And every time we talked, you made me smile
And now a new day has begun, oh, what a treasure you’ve become
How I love the man who used to be that child.
Yeah, I love the man who grew up from that child
ENDING Love is the song, we are the melody.
Today, we’ll start writing our own memories
Today we’ll pledge our love so true, today we’ll stand and say “I do.”
We will thank the Lord for the love that He has sent
Can’t help but stand in awe of what the Lord has done to grow our love.
I have prayed for you, my husband, and my friend.
I’m just catching up on your posts! Your song at Nathan & Megan’s wedding made me tear up back then but listening to it now, I’m bawling! My own sweet boy, my baby, was married a year & a half ago and they just last week moved 1,528 miles away. Oh how I miss that little boy and oh how I love that young man!
Also, for the longest time I thought I made up using “tetris” as a verb! 🤣🤣
Lizz,
Awww. Having your son marry and move so far away is a huge adjustment; I can only imagine your tears listening to that song again. We loved our little boys but we love our grown up men just as much.
Sorry to spill the beans that you didn’t verbify Tetris. But you were creative in using it that way; I never would have thought of it!
Beautiful wedding song! Beautiful fam!
Love the Little Brown Church in the Vale. Our piano player changed it to ” little white church in the vale” due to that describes our little church 🙂 sweet memories.
I love a lot of the older hymns from our church hymnal. I can feel my Mom singing with me from our many times at church while she was on this earth. In My Heart there Rings a Melody was one of our favs that I love dearly. It always puts a smile on my face 🙂 and a hug in my heart!
My grand puppy does not like pills. I roll his pill in peanut butter then place on a plastic spoon and let him lick it all off and he gets the pill! He loves peanut butter so I guess he doesn’t notice the pill. He will find it and it comes back out in every other food I have tried.
My daughter called after she packed their vehicle for the beach and said I am done with my game of tetris for today. She is 33.
Eswim,
Yes, I definitely remember In My Heart there Rings a Melody. It has such a happy melody!
Ha. Glad to hear that your daughter knows about Tertris-ing and puts it into practice.
I’ve never heard Tetris it in. That’s a new one but oh, so descriptive!
We always got our dog to take his pills in cheese. Man, did he love his cheese!! Worked like a charm….he was none the wiser. 😉
Looking forward to a practice round of golf tomorrow and then an annual golf tournament with a great group of friends on Saturday. Decent weather will make it even better!
The wedding song was just as beautiful as I remember it being. Isn’t it great to have the technology to do that and relive those memories?
How awesome of Steve to go meet Nathan and Meagan so she could have a place to lay down. Wow. 😍
LeeAnne,
Yep. We tried cheese with Belle and she gobbled it down–after finding the pill and spitting it out. Sigh.
Enjoy your weekend of golf; hope the weather is great for you.
Have you tried Pill Pockets for Belle?
Ellen,
We did try those, and she very daintily dug out the pill and spit it out. Sigh. 🙂
Darn. I get it. They worked the first two times I gave one to my dog, but on the third day she figured out the trick and henceforth ate around the pill. I have a cat they work great for though, so I figured they’d be worth a try if you hadn’t!
Ellen,
I saw a meme that talked about dogs eating dead frogs off the sidewalk but when it comes to taking a pill, they turn into Gordon Ramsey. Made me laugh out loud because it is SO true! 🙂
Glad the pill pockets work well for your cat!
Congrats to Nathan on his new position and I’m so glad Meghan made it safely home. What a fun way to spend some time with Sarah (I probably would not have noticed her if you hadn’t noted she was in the picture).
I’ve never heard the phrase “Tetris it in”, but it makes perfect sense. I’m also no help in the heartworm med department – both of my grandpuppies love their Heartgard. This week is our first full week of professional development (had to work Thursday & Friday last week) before students return 8/12. Your goose pictures were so cute! Hope you have a wonderful week!
Sue Ellen,
It’s amazing to me that it’s time to start school already. I’m sure for you, especially, it has come up fast.
How nice that your grandpuppies love their medicine. Belle is being very persnickety about it.
Have a great school year!
Glad to hear positive updates from the MeagaNate group! And how fun to spend the day with your daughter!
I, too, played Tetris back in the 90s on the original Nintendo! And I absolutely have said “Tetrising” or “Tetrised” — and always when packing the car for a road trip. I’m 58. 🙂
My brainsong hymn is “It is Well with My Soul.”
Stefanie,
It’s cool that someone who is not a young adult also says it. I am going to challenge myself to slide it into a sentence sometime so I can be one of the cool kids.
LOVE that hymn; one of my favorites. I heard of an older lady in poor health who, when asked how she was feeling would always reply, “It is well with my soul.” Such a great answer.
Love those brief case carrying geese!
I haven’t heard the “Tetris it in?” but my cousins play “car Tetris” when they travel by trying to fit in their suitcases and all the thrift shop buys they make along the way.
A past song that comes to mind is the old hymn, Little Brown Church in the Vale.
Only dog pill trick I know is hiding it in a peanut butter mini sandwich that they gulp down. It even worked for my great niece.
A pretty normal week here.
Patti,
Briefcase carrying geese. That’s not a line you read every day!
I’ve never heard Little Brown Church in the Vale. It sounds like something Andy Griffith would sing. I’ll have to look it iup.
We’re tried the pill in peanut butter but not in a peanut butter sandwich. Will have to try!
Little Brown Church in the Vale was my grandmother’s favorite – and Andy Griffith did, indeed, sing it!
Thank you, Becky for the song and all the information of the writing and production of the beautiful song.
I had never heard “Tetris it in”, but I’ll be looking for opportunities to use it. Of course, I’ll have to give up my hermit imitation to do so. As to getting dogs to take pills, I’ve had luck with putting pills into small sections of low fat hot dogs or ice cream. Exciting? Not so much, but I’m having lunch with 4 or 5 of my high school (class of 1961) friends on Wednesday, Always a fun time.
Jan,
I think Belle is milking this thing for all its worth because she gets so many kinds of foods. (We always give Tinker a little taste, too) We are going to try all of the suggestions that have come in and see what might work.
If you didn’t want to give up your hermit-ing, you could just use a Tetris line to yourself when you’re putting something in a cupboard. 🙂
Perfect! Pantry Tetrising is exactly what I do all the time!
Yes,
Pantries are the perfect place to do Tetrising.
And by the way, your suggestion to put a pill in a bit of a hotdog is the only trick we’ve tried that worked. Belle gobbled it down. Thank you!
We love strolling through antique malls and thrift stores. When you have a day, check out The Sleepy Poet in south Charlotte, if you haven’t already. Take your camera as there is a lot of snap worthy stuff. The pups are welcome, too.
Kristy,
That’s funny you would mention the Sleepy Poet. Sarah told me about it when we were together Saturday and someone at work mentioned it to me today. I’ll have to pay it a visit with all of these good recommendations.
How fun that they allow dogs. Love it!