Another Widow Joins the Club

My Aunt Josephine (we call her Jo) joined our ranks recently. She and my Uncle Dan were married 63 years. We had the pleasure of her company to share my 56th birthday at El Jardin's in Commerce City.

Aunt Lamie her younger sister by 14months decided we need to come up with an initiation ritual for the new Widows. I think just being in our company is enough of an initiation. My Aunt Bernice could not make it, she fell recently and is recuperating. Her " Are we there yet?" was missed but Aunt Jo was not afraid to step up and take her place. Lucky for Mary, the driver, we were only going two miles.

Reflecting tonight on how our group has grown and how many more widows there are we would love to include in our group I was moved by the thought "The price we pay to be a part of the group comes at a higher price to some than others". But then GOD showed me the laughter we shared all evening. The conversations we are only just beginning and also the hope we are able to share with each other that life can still be lived after the loss of a loved one

.I sit and smile tonight and that my GOD and Savior for the gift he has given me in helping these women to laugh.

(If you ever have an opportunity ask one of them about speed bumps in a handicapped van. We truly are WILD WIDOWS and you better watch out!!!"[

To the Runway we go.

We made it. Finally the Wild Widows are out and about.  With our new wheels there is no limit to where we can go.    Restaurants.com provided us with a $25 off any $35 purchase and the Runway Grill was our destination.  The food was good but the company was better.  It's amazing how much sharing time together is so important.   We laughed, teased, and planned our next trip.  One of our Widows has not been to the Denver Museum of Natural History in over 50 years.  It's not where we go but who we go with, and to enjoy the life we have been given.

Oh yes - no Widows trip could be complete without our trip to McDonalds for our small ice cream cone. 

The Widows Got New Wheels

     Life has so many changes and just when we think we have it figured out, it changes. Two months ago Hospice informed us our Mom (who had become bedridden) had just days tohey asked if everyone had a chance to say their goodbyes. Now in a family of over 130 (just her direct children, grandchildren) that takes a while. We had company. She rallied. Two weeks later she hit a low. Once again any day. She was hardly eating or drinking. We knew it was getting close. Easter came and we had over 80 people for breakfast. The follwoing week was Mother's Day. Again we had a house full. The following week she was back to eating 3 meals a day. Who knew. For our Mom it seems changed her mind about going home or as I read in a book "Crossing the Jordan".
      Since she made the decision to live it was up to us to help her do it. The first step - get her out of bed. With the help of a "Hoya Lift" we were able to get her into her chair in the livingroom. As days moved on she began to show the desire to go places. Her sister's 80th birthday. A grandson's graduation party. We got her there with the help of a handicapped van and a rental van. Our problem we needed something more permanent.
      My brothers began the search for a handicapped van. They located one in Colorado Springs. We are now MOBILE. Church and hair appointment - hadn't been to either in over 2 months.

We have been shown life is about living and we each need to life to the fullest!

Widows Gone Wild get a facelift

Yep that's just what is happening to us.  Well not really us, although I wouldn't mind a little tuck around my eyes and those smile lines seem to be getting bigger all the time.  Anyway, watch over the next few days as our blog gets a new (wild?) look.

Have you ever used Restaraunt.com?

    Ft Collins was our destination and since we weren't going sightseeing we wanted a nice meal.  Checking out restaurants.com Armadillo's came up in Longmont.  Nice halfway point.  There are 6 of us and the coupon was for $25 of a meal of $35 or more. At $2 a piece and 6 of use I thought we could use three of them.  Always read the fine print.  Only one coupon per table per day.  Somehow I ended up with another $10 coupon.  Same thing.  So the delima of what to do with the extras. Save the coupons for another trip (which knowing me they would end up who knows where.  
    There was a nice you family  of four sitting next to us and the idea formed.  Share the blessing.  We found another family of four to give the next coupon to and a mother and daughter to use the $10 one.
     The food was delicious but we got mare enjoyment from sharing our coupons than we did the food.  I think we are all like that to an extent, we get more pleasure out of giving.

The Widows Get an Assignment.

    So coming up with a destination during winter months is always a challenge.  Driving in questionable weather with valuable cargo we carry (great-grandmas, great-great grandmas, grandmas, Mom's) we don't like to go far.  A call was made to each of the widows telling them they were in charge of our next destination.  If no one came up with one then we wouldn't go. Mymind could not come up with something to do.
  One week went by. No ideas.  The second week went by, still no ideas.  The third week I get a call from Widow #4. She couldn't think of any touristy place to go but wanted to know if would be OK to just maybe go see a movie, or just go to dinner and then go to a hotel.  She had a need to get away.  Sometimes we get so concerned about the destination we miss the journey.  We forget the purpose which is to spend time with each other. 
     Just like that we had a plan.  North we were headed but when?  Mary called to say she had a Friday free. Decision made. Trip planned.
    Now that was easy. Right?

Lunch at the Broadmor

     Our time was spent discussing the merits of Google available at our fingertips. Any question the widows had, good old Google had the answer.  How in the world did we ever get by without it?

    It always amazes me that no matter how many times we get together we never seem to run out of things to talk about. It's that special bond we share.   



Lunch at the Broadmor was elegant and delicious.  They just have a way of making you feel special.

Happy Wild Widows plus one.

(Mary's Granddaughter got to go on a vacation (her words) with us.) 

Avalon Healing Hearts Bed & Breakfast

     It's official. We have obtained non-profit status.  And it is not something they give out freely.  It took 7 months but we got it.  The journey began in July 2007 we registered Avalon Healing Hearts Bed and Breakfast. Applying for non-profit status was all we had left.  Life changed and my dream dimmed.  Moving in with my Mom became my priority and Avalon was put on a back burner.  In January my daughter Jamie decided to renew the dream.  Sending letters out to friends and family asking for help in raising the funds for the application.  It was to be a surprise birthday present.  It's amazing how GOD works for his glory. Within 2 weeks more than enough was donated and the application process began. 
     Avalon is a dream we have had for a few years.  A place for those who are grieving a loss of something  or someone.   I can see it and feel it.   My widows learning to live again has been such a blessing and eye opener.  There are so many people who don't know how to make a bridge over grief & sorrow to take them to living.  It's OK to enjoy life. As we watch our dream evolve it becomes so exciting.  Jamie works at Namestae Hospice.  While discussing Avalon with her director, he told her there is such a need for caregiver respite.  He liked the idea of Avalon being available to caregivers. Anticipatory grief they called it. 
We can see it.  Can feel the love.  The peace.  We no longer limit the grace and blessings our Lord has in store for us.  Join us in our journey.  My Widows were the first part of the dream.  Seeing them all come to life even in the midst of sorrow.

Where does the time go?

Can you believe it's already the middle of February?   It seems like just yesterday the Widows took a trip to Colorado Springs to see the Brodmor Hotel at Christmas and tomorrow is Valentine's Day.  Where does it go?  The Broadmor was beautifully decorated but the houses are the hotel were even better. This one made me think of Disneyland's Parade of lights.  It was so beautiful with so many different colors. 



We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express on the North side of the Springs. They had the biggest queen suite we have ever stayed in.   We have a tradition for every stay. Being the youngest widow it's my job to break the beds in, make sure they are nice and comfortable.  So I take a few bounces just to make sure the kid in me in happy.  But this time one of our other widows decided to release the child in her.  The result......................

 You know there is a child waiting to be released in us all even when we are 82 or 55 or 39.............