Saturday, December 3, 2011

Practice What I Preach

Angie, my 20 year old daughter, is spending this semester in Spain. She created a blog before she left and has posted to it a few times through the semester. I've nagged her all semester to post more often. We want to hear about her everyday life and challenges. She counters by saying she doesn't want to post unless she has something profound and significant to say. I grumble at her and say, "Just write a blog post! No matter what you write, readers will enjoy it and learn something and you'll be better for having done some writing."

OK, Mom, what about you? When was the last time you posted to YOUR blog? Don't you have anything to say? You'll be better for having done some writing.

So, I am committing myself to post to my blog every week for at least 6 weeks and try to maintain the habit. Now, for those of you who maintain multiple blogs and post daily, this is small potatoes, but for me it is a pretty significant committement. Here goes...


These are wonderfully busy days. A lot is going on at work. There are church activities galore. Amy is graduating in a couple weeks. Angie is coming home soon. Addie is either at an activity or at the computer doing homework every minute. Jack is working hard and caring for his Mom faithfully and lovingly. Many of the Klemm Clan is coming here for Christmas. It's a Wonderful Life.

And then the phone call. The BIG C. Pull out the pink ribbons. Jack's sister Linda has breast cancer. I want to fall apart and cancel everything and drive to Las Cruces and hug her and play Nursemaid and Good Aunt and Spiritual Advisor. But in typical Klemm fashion, Linda convinces me this is just another bump in the road. She's logical and optimistic and comforting. She's comforting me!

I have always seen Linda as the matriarch of the family. Even when her dad was alive and her mom was healthy, she ran the family gatherings. She is the quintessential mother. She sent my girls Advent Calendars with a little wrapped gift for every day of Advent when they were little. She has planned two life-changing vacations for our family - one to hike the Grand Canyon and one to Monterey Mexico. We would never have made those trips without her encouragement and involvement. She is smart and efficient and organized. Occasionally, some in the family add the adjective bossy, but usually that adjective is reserved for me.

But best of all, she is fun. She has a great sense of humor and is quick to laugh. She goes to Las Vegas with her grown children. She goes to the beach with her grandchildren. This year she was going to spend Christmas Day freezing her butt at a Green Bay Packers game because she knew it would be fun for her husband. She thinks of fun things to do and helps everyone have fun with her.

The next several months won't be fun. They'll be hard work and pain and frustration. But all of us for whom Linda is special will be with her. We'll encourage her and pray for her and love her just like she's done for us for us in the past.

We love you Auntie Linda!!!

Jo

1 comment:

Sarah Boyette said...

Welcome back to blogworld!