Blessings

I feel terrible that my blog for last week is just now getting posted.  We had such a busy week.  Is it just me or is Summer more hectic than the actual school year for everyone?

I had so many ideas for this past week for posts.  The more I think about how much I love this town, the more things just jump around in my mind that I can blog about weekly.  Some of those things require me to be camera ready at any moment, and this week I found myself unprepared for those amazing snap shots.  I can tell you that there is so much to come and I hope you will keep visiting us.

This past week was a special one for me.  My birthday was on Friday, July 20th.  I had no real plans to speak of.  I had work that day and received my first birthday blessing right there at work.

I work at the local retirement community as a cook.  I really enjoy spending the days with the folks  there and doing what I love - cooking and baking.  After my shift was over, I was getting ready to walk outside when I saw one of the residents, Allen, sitting in the main living room.  We sat and talked for about 30 minutes about life here in NW Kansas back in the day.  I loved the conversation and I think he did too.  I wonder if people understand the value in the older citizens like Allen?  They are a living history!  There time for being an important part of society is far from over.  It is my hope that more people will look for the life that is still going strong in this age group.  After all, how do we as a society know where we are going if we haven't taken the time to see where we have been? Well, my time with Allen was my first birthday blessing.  

Before leaving, I sat and watched the residents work through some exercises with large inflatable balls.  To hear them laugh and watch them play like kids again was absolutely beautiful!  Never did I expect to find myself working in this type of environment, but I am so thankful for these blessings that the Lord is giving to me.

After leaving the "Village", I went home for a short nap and then time with my family.  The gifts were great and so was the quality time.  My beautiful sister had the most thoughtful gift for me.  I thought I had received the greatest birthday yet!

The night ended and I had a cake to make for a neighbor of mine.  I do some in-home baking for friends and family.  Baking is my passion, so baking a cake that was not my own was not a terrible way to end my night.   Here is a quick picture of the cake that I finished.

Cake finished and the night ending after midnight, I drifted off to sleep.  Back to work in the morning but plans with "the girls" to go out to the movies for my birthday.  I hurried through the day because who doesn't love a girl's night out after all?   My sister arrived and off we went.  We had to stop to "pick up" my good friend, Lace.  But as I enter her house, there are several women there and I was excited to see that the night was going to include more than just the four of us that I thought were going out.  Hey, the more the merrier, right?   Well, the surprise really was on me!  My amazing friends had put together a surprise party for me AND had ME to make my own cake!

We had such an amazing time and I can say that the greatness of the weekend was due to the people that were in it.  What you find in a small town like our town is amazing people that see you as more than your friends, but as your family.  They become your sisters and brothers, your grandparents that you never knew, and the neighbors' children are your children.  People here don't just live here.  They live the community and the people.  We don't have our 6 foot fences up to keep everyone else out.  You find that you know nearly everyone in town and though that can sometimes backfire because everyone knows what you are doing ALL the time, they also know what is important to you, your hopes and your fears, just like family.  

I hope that next time you see a senior on the street or your neighbor walking into their home that you will stop and chat with them.   Find the blessings in those next door or those who think their time of usefulness is over.  If you can't find anyone in the city that wants to look outside of their door, just come here, where everyone is family!