Not what I expected.
I don’t tell this story that often, because I don’t feel like it’s entirely mine to tell. My grandmother passed away years ago, however, and I’m sure she wouldn’t mind me sharing the story with you. When I was maybe ten, twelve years old tops, my mother and grandmother and I took a trip together [...]
February 27, 2011
· 
Jen · 
6 Comments
Tags: family, love, memory · Posted in: Uncategorized
Caesura.
I fear I have been remiss in posting here, not for lack of anything to say, but more for lack of time to put it all into words. Life feels busy to me, and fulfilling, if not without frustration – overall, it feels good, and whole. But I’ve felt it coming for a while now. [...]
May 9, 2010
· Jen · No Comments
Tags: family, Friends, vacation · Posted in: family
Token.
Last weekend I traveled to Alliance, Ohio with my mother, to visit my aunt and uncle. It was a good weekend, if sometimes an emotional one. It was the first time we had seen them since Dad’s funeral – my father’s sister and her husband traveled down here to meet up for a hard visit. [...]
April 13, 2010
· Jen · 6 Comments
Tags: family · Posted in: family
Love at home.
The past two years on Valentine’s Day, I’ve taken a look at love outside of romantic love. You can take a look at 2008’s and 2009’s musings, if you’d like. When I sat down to think about love this year, the first thing to come to mind was family. It’s not surprising. It was a [...]
February 14, 2010
· Jen · 4 Comments
Tags: family, love · Posted in: Uncategorized
A moment of levity!
They do happen! If I, or anyone in my family, ever lost our sense of humor, it would be a loss as keenly felt as that of a limb. Yesterday I went to visit Dad after work, as per usual. When I arrived, he was holding…mattress ads. Yes, my father, laying in the hospital, dying [...]
September 2, 2009
· Jen · No Comments
Tags: cancer, dad, family, health · Posted in: Uncategorized
A time of burden.
My father’s illness has progressed at such a pace it can be hard to keep up. I certainly haven’t put all the latest details in here; they pile up faster than I can take time to record them. It’s okay, though. I would rather take the time to spend with my father, to share thoughtful [...]
August 25, 2009
· Jen · No Comments
Tags: cancer, dad, family · Posted in: family
A newsy update
Once again, in lieu of waiting for artful prose (or time to craft it), I’m going to post just some details, update-fashion. Last week’s trip to the oncologist confirmed our fears – Dad’s lung cancer (adenocarcinoma) is stage four, and has spread throughout his body, primarily into the bones. The plan set up last week [...]
August 20, 2009
· Jen · 3 Comments
Tags: cancer, dad, family · Posted in: Uncategorized
Grace and the groove.
As I suppose we all suspected all along, the results from Dad’s PET scan last week were that he has cancer. It was spotted in several locations throughout the body, including lung, liver, and spine. Today he went in for his biopsy; when I talked to him and Mom this evening they said the doctor [...]
August 5, 2009
· Jen · One Comment
Tags: family, music · Posted in: Uncategorized
The best laid plans…
…somethin’ aft agley, somethin’. When I started this blog with the idea of writing in a more deliberate and thoughtful manner, I thought I would write nice drafts, keep a log of ideas offline, expand and polish them with care. In my brain, a week or two ago, I was working on a post about [...]
July 29, 2009
· Jen · 2 Comments
Tags: family, health · Posted in: family
On this, the day of your sons’ baptism…
When I received word that my dear friends Mandy and Breezy were received into the Episcopalian church this Easter, I was not terribly surprised, as I knew they were studying for it. When I received a vaguely cagey email from Mandy not long after – “I have to ask you something” – I admit I [...]
June 4, 2009
· Jen · One Comment
Tags: family, Friends, pictures · Posted in: faith
