Jungle Jam and Friends, The Lyn Show

When the kids were little, we listened to World Vision's "Jungle Jam and Friends, The Radio Show." I think it is Millard the Monkey who always shouts at the end of the intro, "I LOVE THIS!!"

I've been feeling that way about life recently. Not only do I live in a "jungle" with the woods behind, I've had the Cheetah Sisters to visit, Millard the Monkey actually lives with me, and we have our own Jungle Jam Show each and every day. Of course whoever wrote the Love Languages would figure out why "I love this!!"--my love language is affection and affirmation, and my tank is full to overflowing after a wonderful week with my family and then friends close on their heels . . . all of whom have told me over and over how special I am and given me multiple hugs. Aaah . . .

My siblings and I planned to all be together for the 4th this year. Rosie came with Rob and Helen Clare a day late because of the floods, but in high spirits. The next day Jan came, then Rick and Susan, then Liz Anne and her boyfriend Lowen, who fit right in (nice guy!). Our numbers swelled to 13, and not a cross word. Now that is something! Amazingly every person got a bed. So much love and joy. Only sad thing was that Susan reacted to all the wet and soggy weather and so she and Rick had to leave early, missing being deluged with rain on the fourth--(I haven't heard many complaints about that!). We had so much rain that day that Rosie didn't even have to shower after the 5K race. We had lots of runners and did well for the fam. :) No prize for David, but hey! Rosie, Helen Clare and Travis (our second cousin) did a fine job of taking trophies. Rob did his usual thing in the basement, setting up stereo systems WAY too good for a cabin, and blasting us with everything from elevator music to Jazz to Tchaikowski. With all the good books around, the three sisters and assorted cousins had noses in books with popcorn suppers and no complaints. Aahh. Mother, we missed you, but we didn't miss cooking!!
(Left to right: Jan, Rosie, Rick, Susan (Rick's wife) and moi.

The goodbyes were tearful, since we all never know when in the next 3-4 years we will be together again. Berlin is just a bit of a hike from Chicago, Mississippi and Detroit. Sigh. I DO have a wonderful family. But they DO live awfully far away. Now if you really want the whole deal on Montrose, go to Jan's blog (look for the link on the left, she's the MOB) and you will get LOTS of cool pictures!! And she will tell you about lots of stuff I missed--forts in the woods, ice cream, coasting 2 miles in the car . . . complete with photography.

Back to me. Now while Rosie and Jan and I were tooling around our wee downtown, checking out the new shops-will this one make it? Probably not. Will this one? Hope so!!, I got a very special phone call: Rebekah and Jake, picture already on this blog, are engaged. :) Yippee!! Jake had gotten our "Newbrander Seal of Approval." Now can I finally spill the beans, Bekah? Back when they came, She and I had slipped out to Ruthanne's, where Ruthie was just starting a bridal business in addition to her consignment shop, and Bekah got the deal of the century on a VERY Italian looking gown, knowing Jake would pop the question soon! The gown was absolutely MADE for Rebekah, and so I stood kiddie-corner from Ruthanne's now hearing about how Mr. Romantic Jake had proposed. :) Way to go, Jake.

A little over two weeks ago, we got another special phone call from David and Cheryl, calling from the hospital. Little Jonathan David finally arrived, a bit complicated birth, but he is here!! Their 4 year old was here in town with the grandparents, so when they came from Knoxville to get her and take her and her new dolly home (also named Jonathan even though the dolly is a girl, of course--kids are so uncomplicated!), we got to spend Friday afternoon holding little Jonathan and marveling over him. Our friendship goes back 10 years, and 10 years ago we had grieved at the news that Dave and Cheryl couldn't have children. About 5 years ago, the Lord miraculously healed what was wrong, and now David is a dad for the second time at 50. Wow.

Wait a minute. 50?! Egads. Sounds like a Steve Martin special!! Just so long as it is David, and not Tim!

Just before the floods, I had gotten to visit another Becca, this one our former nanny, who has birthed little Leigha. How fun to be around for weddings and births! :) Just one more arrival, little Joey from China (being adopted by Sarah and Bob), and my cup will truly overflow.

About an hour after David and Cheryl left, Karen and Roger arrived. On Saturday we just had to show them the latest in entertainment in this booming metropolis, so after a walk in the woods (in flip-flops?!), we went to "Second Story Books" which is high-brow second-hand literature combined with a gallery of local artists. Surprise!! David's jazz teacher (age 81) is an artist!! Two paintings, one sold, were hanging there among a lot of VGA (very good art, also VEA--very expensive art). They were celebrating opening up, and people were milling about with red wine, looking intelligent, so we made similar scintillating comments and admired the owner's taste in literature. Someone there told us to check out a photography show at the newest restaurant in town--the Summerhouse Grill. So we tooled on down there and filled up on free gourmet snacks (fresh grilled trout made into a dip? Gotta try it, mmmm...and free drinks. We oohed and aahed over the photography show and made more intelligent-sounding comments to the photographer, in between stuffing ourselves with trout dip and homemade pita. Now back to "Downtown Grounds," our new nifty coffee shop for a Latte. Now doesn't all this make you want to live here, too? At this rate, with art, nifty restaurants and good coffee, why go back to Berlin? Oh, yes. I forgot. There is that little business of a calling in life . . .


Meanwhile, back to Karen and Roger, whom we call Roget B. and Pooh. French Accent, please for Roget, in honor of his missionary tour on Reunion Island, a French Protectorate. If you don't know where that is, ask Timothy, our geography expert. Our friendship with Roget B and Pooh started when I flew to Philly to interview for a teaching job back in 1985, 21 years ago. What a lot of water under the proverbial bridge. Two months into my new job in '85, Karen and I went on a teacher's inservice retreat. Who knows what we learned. What I remember was that my facial muscles ached from a weekend of constant laughter and my heart was full from a friendship cemented by shared values, albeit vastly different life circumstances--she and Roger had 5 kids at home (7 in all) and defined the word BUSY. Tim was studying at Westminster and I was figuring out that no-brand Raisin Bran (my salary was pitiful) tastes like chips of cardboard, and that if you sqeeze a penny hard enough it really does bleed.

No matter when we see Karen and Roger, no time has elapsed. Don't you love relationships like that? Karen was there to pick me up from the airport when Timmy was life-flighted back to some private airstrip who-knows-where in Philly after his premature and very rocky start in Cleveland. We were there to see that Karen was too sick for their family vacation and insist she stay home to be nursed by her mom--no wonder--she had chronic fatigue. They were there when we grieved over leaving Amsterdam. We were there to push them to use the cabin for badly-needed R and R. They were there when mother died, driving from Philly to Harrisburg first for my final visit, and later for the memorial service.

And then the big blow four years ago: Roger was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Nine long months later, a stem cell transplant, and many prayers of begging God for healing, and I and Becca were able to visit, wondering if Roger would make it much longer.

Fortunately for all of us, Karen's humor this weekend helped us balance lots of laughter with very real tears at what the future will hold, barring a miracle. But we continue to pray for that miracle, day after day. Four years ago we never thought Roger and Karen would be able to visit us in Berlin (2004), or that in 2006 we would be sitting in Montrose on our front porch, remembering God's goodness. That in itself is a miracle of staving off the cancer. Karen reminded us of what another friend who is dying of melanoma (Al) has said: You live a day at a time, and floss your teeth. You see, flossing is an act of faith, since flossing says, I want to have healthy teeth years from now. But the odds are, in a few months you could most probably be in heaven. And as we live each day we say, "Thank you, Jesus, for another day. Make it count."

Two miracles in one weekend. :) And both on the front porch of our cabin. You're right, Millard the Monkey: "I LOVE THIS!!"