MistyCastle

Archive for the ‘Rhonda's Ramblings’ Category

We keep ‘family history’ here on the website so I want to record my ‘mad dash’ to IA. I finished finals on the first Thursday of December and headed off to Iowa feeling like Santa with my trunk and back seat full of presents. It was a lovely, snowy Colorado picture perfect morning as I began to head east. Little did I know that I would drive the entire 750 miles to ‘the Farm’ in unlovely snow, ice, freezing fog, and almost every other form of precipitation imaginable. The entire trip the temperature was a constant 19 – 21 degrees. No greater variance – it was the craziest thing! As the day waned, I stopped often to scrape off the headlights and windshield. The miles north of Kansas City were the longest, most dangerous, and arduous. By the time, I arrived in Iowa, I had been driving for over 12 hours and on the road for 14. One and a half inches of ice covered the front of the Caddy! This was BEFORE the ice storm! Read the rest of this entry »

You have read about our snowshoeing adventures and those have been awesome times with Matt and Kristina. Being out enjoying this lovely Colorado landscape is a large part of why we came. I have not had the opportunity to use my shoes as much as I had hoped. I have made some early morning trips to the ‘backyard’. Some in the moonlight, which is always beyond stellar for me. Deer are prevalent in the neighborhood this winter and we are often scaring one another as either Abby or I surprise them. Read the rest of this entry »

Treasured Friends and Family, it has been a long time since I wrote and Matt has made me sleep in the garage as punishment for neglecting you! Just kidding, of course! The days have gone so fast and life is very different than it was only a month ago so I woke this morning wanting to update you a bit. Matt has given you some fly over events but I need to fill in some blanks. I will attempt to write short articles and keep you up to date more often. I think of many of you and lift you in prayer, trusting that Abba knows what your needs are and that He is faithful to meet and exceed your expectations. He is such a loving Father! Read the rest of this entry »

As I wake this morning, the unseasonable cold, snowy Colorado weather has reminded me of this same day, 30 years ago. I am thinking of weddings and celebrations of love. I am also thinking of a bride waking to huge sobs that are her own. It is her wedding day. A day girls dream about all their growing up years but this is not the day in her dream. It is extremely cold, snowy, and windy. She was notified yesterday that her wedding rings were lost in the frantic Christmas mail, her veil had not arrived and her dress is not finished. Keep in mind this wedding has been planned in 6 short weeks through the Christmas season. Both the bride and groom are working retail management jobs. Cold weather, snow and holidays can have a big effect on weddings and celebrations of love. This story does have a happy ending but the start was truly a challenging one. There were phone calls; quick shopping trips and lots of tears but the bride and groom were at the church with rings and full regalia in time for the wedding that evening. It had been a long day full of blessings even before we knew the fullness of God’s abiding love. Read the rest of this entry »

Cannot let this very special day dawn and not send heartfelt blessings out to each of you! This is such a beautiful time of year as we celebrate “Christ” “ mass”. The worship of Yeshua, the Messiah. I trust that you have made time somewhere in this busy season to reflect and soak in His peace. May this morning find you surrounded with friends and family, if not in person, then in spirit. We send you our thoughts, love, and hugs, may you wrap yourself in them and feel their richness. Read the rest of this entry »

Kristina had only been in her new apartment just long enough for the dust to settle, a whole 4 days, when we headed off to Iowa for the Thanksgiving weekend. Matt, Kristina, and I leave Abby with the lovely Sharon and Jerry across the street, pack up at ‘O’dark thirty’ and head east for lots of food and fellowship!

It was whirlwind time! God had laid a couple of people on our hearts to see and pray with. We worked those times in around two Thanksgiving dinners with family and a visit to our home church to see loved ones.

We arrived that evening to celebrate Matt’s birthday with Mom and Dad Grimes. Great Key Lime pie, Mom! This family doesn’t ‘do’ cake so Matt’s birthdays always have pie! We spent Thanksgiving Day with Mom and Dad Grimes watching old 8mm family movies of Matt as a young child and family life in England. Trips to castles and foreign countries, days spent with Gram and Grandad. Thanks to Mom for the idea and Dad for working so hard to fix the projector. Parts are not readily available or at reasonable prices for those 8mm antiques! I shed a few tears as we watched Gram and Grandad, wishing they were still with us and thinking of all they have sown into our lives. Read the rest of this entry »

November 17th, not a banner day for many but a banner day for our Kristina. She is moving. Not one of her favorite things to do but a necessary thing at different times in life. This is a somewhat significant, special move. Kristina and Josh have decided that living together as brother and sister has been a great adventure but now their life choices are not compatible any longer. There is a cozy studio apartment on the west side of town that will be Kristina’s new home, her first home on her own. Josh will keep the townhouse for now.

It has been a wild time finding ‘the perfect’ apartment. I felt, at times, I was shopping with Goldilocks. ‘This ones too big, this ones too old, this ones too dark’ but the studio apartment on the end of the building at Cheyenne Vista features a big sunny window looking right into a huge pine with a quaint little patio tucked off to the far end. The apartment allows just enough room for her furniture and is not overwhelming when it is time to clean. Simple. As things in life you can control should be. It makes dealing with the complicated things in life easier. Those, often, we cannot control with the exception of our response and attitude. Read the rest of this entry »