March 2025

 We started out March by going to a birthday party for Alanna Soderna, who is part of our church.  Her family surprised her with the birthday party 18 days before she turned 50.  It was a good thing, in hindsight, that the party was before her birthday, because on her birthday itself, she was in the hospital having her gall bladder removed!!  In this photo, she is holding her youngest daughter.  It was a very nice party, and many people spoke blessings and appreciation
in short speeches after the meal was eaten.

Because of the cataract and knee replacement surgeries Janet had scheduled for March, the quilting was all put away and puzzles were a different entertainment for her.  {She also has made over twenty knitted dishcloths.  If you come over (or bring food) you can have one!}
This puzzle was completed on March 4, and it was very difficult.  We gave it to our pastor, Darrell Stetler, as he was willing to try it.

This one was not so frustrating and Rowen and Elizabeth were willing to help with it. 
We finished it on March 10.

We had Mahatma Alcala (GBS student from Mexico) over for Sunday afternoon on March 9.  She helped us work on the puzzle and we enjoyed talking to her about the medical mission trip to Honduras she recently took.

Elizabeth sang the special song with the College and Careers class that morning.
My left cataract surgery was March 5 and we drove to Louisville, KY for the surgery location.
Dr. Tenkman also did my previous cataract surgery Dec. 31, 2018.

Apparently the bumpy part under my iris is extra antibiotic.  It has gradually dissipated.
Janet will get a new glasses prescription on April 8 and order glasses then.

Besides working on Janet, we also did some needed property improvements in March!
This is the plan for our driveway enlargement.  It was kind of funny; we got a citation from the city the week before we started on this project, because of Elizabeth's car wheels being parked on the gravel area we had added to make more parking space 8 years ago.  The area on the right of the picture in red had a good sized tree when we moved in 8.5 years ago.  We had it cut down immediately!  We have added gravel repeatedly, but it always ended up being muddy, so we decided to use our tax return and do a permanent fix.  The sidewalk to the front porch was also a trip hazard, so it was part of the project.

First came the tearing out.  Yes, it was a mess and we had to go out our back door and around the house to get out for many days.

Unfortunately, the same day our project started, the city cut a hole in the street in front of the neighbor's house to replace a water main, so there was that obstruction for a couple weeks.  We got new neighbors across from us with big trucks they park on the street, and we ended up having to park down the street with our two vehicles after this picture was taken.  

I'm sure our neighbors were glad when those couple weeks were over!

Forms ready

Concrete day

They worked hard and did a good job.


Curing

We also decided this was the year to get new gutters installed.

That happened on March 22.  Michael Loper was our installer.  He told Rowen, "When our family came over for Sunday dinner a couple years ago, I looked at your house and said, 'They could sure use some new gutters'!"  We are very grateful to have had them replaced before the
many rains we have had since then!

The finished projects March 24 pictures

Back to Janet's renovations:  her right knee replacement took place on Friday, March 14.

Under the warming blanket, ready for surgery early in the morning.

The surgery went well and the recovery has been great; except that there was spray adhesive applied under this dressing, and since Janet is allergic to adhesive, especially spray adhesive, it has been very frustratingly itchy and inflamed (even to the day of this posting on April 7).

March 27

April 2

Icing helps more than Benadryl gel or Cortisone cream.  

We don't know how long it will take to get the allergens out of her system. 

March 19, God's Bible School and College Symphonic Wind and String Ensemble came to Burlington Bible Church for a service.  We enjoyed the service a lot, but it was really too soon after surgery to go to church and be away from the elevation and ice machine that Janet needed.  But it was important for us to be there and see all the people she misses from not working on campus anymore.

The Official SWSE Photo

Mr. Michael DeStefano directing

Janaye Byers and Janet

Mary Matias and Janet

Elizabeth finished her denim skirt in early March and has been enjoying wearing it.

Our indoor flowers have been beautiful.
The mini orchid has just bloomed and bloomed.  The Christmas cactus bloomed again.

The white (formerly deep purple) orchid has been beautiful.  The violets never quit!

Even the very old cockscomb seeds from Joplin days came up and are blooming.

The kalanchoe has bloomed like crazy for a couple months, and the two mandevilla we brought in last fall have bloomed like crazy, even as they lose their leaves!  We hope to transplant them back outside, if we can get a break from the rainy weather.

Our daffodils were late this year.  We had such a cold, snowy winter, and then a cool wet spring.

We were glad the concrete work didn't ruin our daffodils.

Our Jane Magnolia has been pretty, but much later coming out than last year.

We've taken short walks with Janet for therapy, besides going to Physical Therapy twice a week.

Rowen and Elizabeth get much longer walks for actual exercise.

Rowen and Elizabeth take their turns walking with Janet, when it isn't raining.

We're always happy that the Bleeding Hearts come up every year and make flowers so fast!

Here's a Sunday picture from March 30 to end the post:

Rowen has been faithfully taking care of his recovering wife.

We sure appreciate him!

February 2025

On February 1, we went to a dear friend's 80th birthday party.  Floyd Hyatt's family put on a party for him.  He has been a teacher or staff at God's Bible School for more years than about anybody else.  Right now, he is in charge of all of the security cameras on campus.  It was good to see him and many of our GBS friends at this event.

Afterwards, we were driving through Taylor Mill where we used to live, and we decided to stop at Graeters and buy some ice cream with Elizabeth, like we did with Emily when she still lived with us.

My cute mug that Brittany Stamper gave me.  "If life gives you scraps, make a quilt!"

February 3rd was an unusually warm day, and we took our first walk of the year.

We had our friend Erina along with us.

I made some wheat bread.  Probably Emily and Elizabeth had made it more recently than I have, though I try to make sourdough bread every week.

We had our back tree trimmed 

and a tree cut down behind the shed.

I finished Lynell's quilt "Yes, He Loves Me."

Messages quilted into the quilt

I sent the quilt to her and she loved it!

On February 7, I started on an Americana quilt God and Country for Stacey Stine.  First, I made a lot of flags!  I was thankful to have striped material rather than having to piece the stripes.

That evening, we had Jimmy and Danette Garcia over for supper and visiting.  It had been over a year since they had been over, so hopefully we will do better this year and see them more often.

On Sunday, February 9, we had Chris and Chandra Faulkner and their sweet girls over for Sunday dinner.  Elizabeth played dolls and toys with the girls, so the other adults could have good conversations.

That evening, the Youth had the service and each told something about their trip to the Central Pennsylvania Youth Conference they had been to.  Here they sang the song they sang at CPYC.

On February 11, we had snow again.

On February 12, we went to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch and enjoyed spending the gift card Janet received at the GBS Staff Christmas Party.  Everything was very yummy.

It was our Valentine date, since we had a beautiful wedding to go to on the 14th.

Where we were seated, we didn't have a very good view of the wedding, but we enjoyed the music and the words at Breanna Loper and Stewart Quesenberry's wedding on Valentines' Day.  We could see Breanna and Stewart a little bit while they lit the unity candle.  Amy Redmond and Ethan Bender sang beautifully We're Seekers of Your Heart and In Our Lives (Home), Lord, Be Glorified.

The receiving line in the foyer after the ceremony.

A picture at the reception of the beautiful bride and handsome groom.

I got this off someone's FB post about them.  I don't remember whose.

It snowed again on February 16.  It had rained first, so where there were puddles of rain, the snow didn't cover.  It was snowing so hard that we couldn't have church in the morning, but the parking lot was able to be cleared by evening, and we could have church then.

We had planned to have the Bennett family from PA for dinner, but we ended up having them after the evening church service, since that's when the roads were safe to come.  They had come to GBS for the weekend visit.  Rebecca and Kristy were "our girls" the whole time they attended GBS, so we were so glad to see them and their family again.  Mary Matias, theirs and our good friend (who is still at GBS) came too.  We had an enjoyable time with them.

On Monday, February 17, I went to see my ortho surgeon.  He was willing to schedule me for the other knee replacement.  That will take place on March 14, Lord willing.

Our Kalanchoe has been blooming like crazy most of this year so far.  I moved it over by the Mandevilla, which we brought in the house last fall to try wintering it.  Apparently, the Kalanchoe was a good influence on it, because the Mandevilla is blooming and has at least 14 other blooms coming on!!.

On February 22, I got the God and Country quilt completely pieced!

February 22, we had such a gorgeous sunrise!

On February 24, Rowen and I got the God and Country quilt in the quilt frame,

and I did four rows before quitting for the day.

This is the name block "made with love for Stacey Stine."

My signature on one of the blue fields.

God bless America on the bottom of the quilt.

The finished quilt (2-25) with dark blue binding

Modeled on our bed.  It was given to Stacey on February 26.

Our Youth Pastor Eli's 29th birthday is February 27.  One of the youth, Emma Wilson drew and made stickers of Eli for his birthday.  I stuck it on the candle we were burning today.

February is a short month.  March will be a very full and busy month.  We just hope the snow is all behind us.  We have taken several walks this week, taking advantage of every day we can be outside.