White Picket Fences

I wanted to give you a quick review on this book.  I finished it last week and enjoyed it very much.  It wasn't recomended, I hadn't read anything about it, I just saw it sitting on the "to reshelf" cart in the library and picked it up randomly.
I am so glad I did!
It is a novel written by Susan Meissner, published in 2009.  Meissner is Christian writer, winner of the Christian Book Award for Fiction. I love being surprised to see Christianity sprinkled in a book. Particularly when unexpected.
I'm am borrowing Elizabeth Musser's praises of the book:

"Poetic prose and a 'can't put it down' plot makes White Picket Fences a great read. It is a thought-provoking look into a dysfunctional family that thinks it's functional and how an outsider can serve as a means of grace."

It's that good.  Grab a copy, and enjoy.

Happily Ever After ...100 Years Ago

Fred & Beulah 1911

I haven't done a Quondam Tuesday for a while. This was meant to be posted on June 28th of this year, but I missed the date.  So, fitting to post today.  This photo was actually taken in August of 1911...
one hundred years ago.
It is the wedding photograph of my Great Grandmother (maternal) Beulah Viola Ball Rahlmann and my Great Grandfather Frederick C Ralhmann.
Apparently, "the photograph", and I say photograph, as far from it that hundreds were taken as they are today, anyway, you were lucky if you got ONE professional photograph. They usually took the photograph on a different day as the wedding, as it was a big deal and you went to the photography studio for it.

My Great Grandparents, married on June 28th 1911.

(how cool is this that I actually have an original invitation and an equally old frame that it has rested in all these years.) I don't know how this became a possession of mine, I just know I have had it for many years.  I actually used it as the basis of my own invitation...simple and timelessly eloquent.
They were married in this home:

the home Rahlmann's married in~ taken in1910

This is a photograph of what they called, "the gang".  The many close friends between them that gathered prior to the wedding.

Beulah is center white dress, with Fred above her right shoulder

I believe they were truly in love. I hold a beautiful love letter Beulah wrote Fred while they were engaged.  It is very dear.  I love the language they used, so proper yet endearing.

love letter dated 8.16.10

They seemed to have a rather Blessed life together. Each coming from prominent families. Fred holding a well educated position, and Beulah raising four daughters as well.
I have inherited so many photographs, yet I know that there are so many more throughout our family.  I am no longer in touch with cousins through that vein of my family tree, however, my Mom is.  She has been close to her cousin, and always was with her Aunts as well. I remember them all from trips out to Texas as a child, but, once I grew up, sort of lost touch once Grannie (Beulah) passed.  It's a shame.  Perhaps we should share these treasures we each hold.  How interesting it would be to see what they have as well.
 
One last photo for you, my Grands as they celebrated their 50th Anniversary, on June 28th, 1961.

Fred & Beulah 1961

Unfortunately, Fred passed not long after that.  In 1963 I believe, I was not quite a year old.  I did not get to met him, although I remember fondly my Great Grandmother who lived well up to 102 years of age. She is a sweet part of my memory of Texas visits.  She even "tried" to teach me how to play the piano.  I hold a passion for Fiestaware because of her.  I proudly cherish three of her pieces, displayed along side my own.

Interestingly Fred attended Valparaiso College here in Indiana, in early 1900.  How ironic that some 50 years later his Granddaughter would fall for a Sailor and settle her in Indiana.   I am very proud to have a Grandfather that had a college degree from 1908.

100 years ago...

How interesting and different their lives were from ours today.

Sing Your Praise To The Lord

 

{not the best copy..but it will do}

In the winter of 1988, I was very pregnant with our first daughter, Emily.  Just like my 3 Musketeers Candy Bars & my 3 Taco Bell Tacos every day, I also had an incredible craving for this song, by Amy Grant. I would play it in my car cassette player very loud, over and over on my way to work. Every day to and from work.  It's as if Emily would "want" it played.  I swear, it felt like she moved to the beat. It has a very powerful musical intro. It's strong and moving.  I am surprised she wasn't born humming this tune.

This evening I heard it on Pandora Internet radio.  To be honest, even though I am still a huge Amy Grant fan, I haven't heard this particular song in a long time.  I tend to play her newer CDs rather than this old favorite. To be honest, I don't believe I have it any more.
It was a very deja vu experience hearing it played. Ironic as well, as Ms Emily has been heavy on my mind, since we moved her out this past weekend to the condo.  Listening to the words of a song I sang so many time before were heard in a new perspective this evening.
This song completely fits her. She wears her faith proudly and has strong convictions.

May you always sing your praises to the Lord Emily.  I am so very proud of you♥

D-Liver D-Letter D-Sooner D-Better!

For those of you of my generation and before, you know that little saying on my title.  You may have written it on an envelope to be mailed as well. Or maybe you wrote: SWAK (Sealed with a Kiss). OR  Sorry So Sloppy, Longer Letter Later... I guess our own version of the texting versions of shortcuts & codes.

As Monday arrived, I knew I must tackle at least one of my many projects that have been waiting patiently.  I chose to work on Photo Organizing... Yes, yes.  I know I get so caught up in the memories, good & bad.  It is a task that always takes me days as I will get side tracked and I am off doing something else such as today, under-covering some long lost photos that BEGGED to be posted on FaceBook.  So, 2 hours later after scanning, tagging, and writing descriptions, I got my 40-some photos up. 

That wasn't the only treasure I found.
I found a shoebox stuffed with letters. From the Besties, parents, and Grandparents, written  1977-1981. That is part of High School, and my one year at Vincennes University.

big sigh...

Wow.  Talk about some memories. I only opened a few.  They brought tears to my eyes.  Sometimes I forget how things really were. Some things not so important, turn out to be pretty important.  There are so pretty heavy (in a good way) things that were brought to me.  I was truly loved by my friends. And my family.
Looks like I was missed when not around.

Most of you know that I spent my summers living in Texas with my Grandparents, during my teen years.  It turned out to be the best thing that could ever happen to me and I am extremely grateful that I had those wonderful summers.  They were AMAZING.  And what I got from my Grandparents few ever get to experience.  I was truly Blessed.

The letters that I received, saved and found in this box, show some love from those that missed me. As a teen, I was also kept up on the teen drama & gossip.  Some stuff that may not have been written about was in these letters. Remember Young'ens we didn't have cell phones let alone texting & emailing opportunities. 
Rarely did you call long distance... Lord knows we "Thought" that was so expensive! So we would write letters, and wait a week to get one back.  But we wrote back and forth all the time.  Then when we went off to college, we wrote each other back & forth, back & forth.

I have some reading to catch up on tonight.  Hopefully, they will be full of the good stuff and not open up some wounds... I'm hoping anyway.

I really need to start writing letters again.  It is becoming such a lost art.

I think I will sign off for now and write two brave young nephews that are in Boot Camps right now.  That's what I need to do.

The photographs spilled out on the tables, and the letters on the floor, can wait. 

I need to write.